The Promise
by Spudzmom
Summary: In desperation, he made a promise... one he had every intention of keeping… but could he, when his life was no longer his own, much less any kind of a life? Only decades of time and unseen mystical forces would hold the answer. **Winner, 1st Place Gold for Best Peter/Bella in the 2016 Non-Canon Awards** **Winner/Silver for Best Peter/Bella in the 2015 Non-Canon Awards**
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Started this for the Fandom 4 Soldiers fundraiser, but decided to do a different story for that, so I'm posting this one. This chapter is short, as it's a mini prologue, but another chapter will follow immediately. Hope you all like it. Review and let me know! ~Spudz**

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~ Prologue ~

Alice sat beside her troubled husband, looking out over the vast Washington landscape that spread for miles beneath the cliff they were perched on. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight but she could tell that Jasper wasn't seeing any of it. He was lost in the past once again if the tortured look on his face was any indication. Her heart ached as she watched him from the corner of her eye.

"Jasper, please tell me what's wrong? You've been like this since...well, since the first time you saw Bella in the cafeteria at school. Should I be worried?" She stared down at her lap, her next question nothing more than a frightened whisper. "Do you want her?"

His eyes widened in shock and he drew her into his arms. "No! God no Ali. It's nothing like that. It's just part of my past that's coming back to haunt me. Truth be told, the guilt of what I did has never left, but now that I've seen her again, the pain's been renewed, and I don't know what to do about it or how to fix it. I do know one thing though...I owe it to Pete to try Ali. I owe it to him."

She snuggled in to his side, lacing her fingers with his. "Then tell me the story Jas, and maybe, between the two of us, we can make things right, once and for all."

He smiled a wan smile. "All right Ali." He stared out into the distance, his mind's eye focusing on a warm San Antonio night, long left in the past. "My part in this started one night when I was sent out by Maria to gather more soldiers for her army…"

**~o0o~**

**Your thoughts?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**~o0o~**

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**~o0o~**

Bella sat up in bed slowly, swinging her legs over and just sitting there for moments afterward, her mind still caught up in the vivid dream she'd had. It had felt so real to her and she had to admit, it was a welcomed reprieve from the nightmares that had been ever constant since _HE_ had left.

She braced herself for the onslaught of pain that always accompanied any thoughts of _HIM_ and realized, with not a little surprise, that it hadn't come. She felt nothing. Nothing that is, in regard to _HIM_...to..._Edward_.

She gasped, eyes widening as she realized that she'd actually thought his name without pain and despair threatening to drown her. Perhaps she could now stand to say it aloud? There was only one way to know for certain; she would have to attempt it.

She rose from her bed and went to stand in front of her full length mirror, noting the hollow, haunted look that had claimed her features since his harsh departure. Another thing she noticed was the renewed spark of life in her eyes. She no longer looked so very defeated and it gave her hope for a full recovery of self. Perhaps she would get through this and be stronger for it, as cliché as that sounded.

Getting her thoughts back on track, she straightened her shoulders and faced her reflection with hope and determination. Her lips parted and she uttered the name that had held her captive to so much pain for too long now.

"Edward."

It was just the barest whisper, but she'd done it...and without pain. She took a deep breath and tried again, louder this time.

"Edward." Nothing. She felt nothing.

She allowed herself a tiny smile. It was a small triumph, but a triumph nonetheless. Again, her voice sounded, stronger and with more confidence.

"Edward Cullen."

Her smile to herself was bright and genuine now and she nodded at her reflection.

"Well done Bella. Leave him in the past, where he belongs." She turned and began to ready herself for the day.

She stepped into the shower, allowing the warmth of the water to soothe her as her thoughts wandered back to the dream from the night before. It had been a wonder of a dream, with a tall, gorgeous man with sandy blond hair. She could have sworn that it was based in a completely different time period too. Sometime in the eighteen hundreds if she wasn't mistaken.

It had played out like a movie in her head, from their first meeting, to eventually falling in love, to marriage and a beautiful baby boy with his daddy's sandy hair and her brown eyes. The dream had been perfect, and comforting and full of a love that would last through the ages. Her heart ached just remembering it, but in the very best of ways and it put a smile on her face as she stepped out to dry and dress.

Making her way downstairs, she startled her Dad as she entered the kitchen.

The newspaper rattled as he straightened it, eyeing her cautiously. "Bells, I'm shocked to see you down here. You've been sleeping in lately."

She sighed and turned to face him, leaning back against the counter. "Yeah, I know and I'm sorry about that. It just took me some time to come to grips with some stuff, ya know. But I think I'm okay now. I feel okay now, and I'm ready to get on with life."

He nodded and looked down seeming to be lost in memories. "I know how that is Bells. It took me some time to get on with living when your mom left me." He met her eyes. "I'm glad to see you pull out of it. It's not a good place to be, but I understood that you needed time. It's what I needed back then and I can't imagine what would have happened had someone been pressuring me."

She walked over and hugged him. "Thanks Dad. Your understanding and patience means the world to me and has made all the difference. I can only imagine the horror of going through something like this with Renée around."

He chuckled. "She does have a tendency to hover."

Bella sat down with some toast and orange juice. "Hover? I wish it was only hovering." She shook her head as she chewed and swallowed. "No Dad, if she'd been here for this, I would probably be in a mental ward right now."

She shivered and he smirked as he folded the paper. He rose and leaned down, placing a rare kiss on her head. "I love ya Bells. Welcome back. I gotta get to work. I'll see you later?"

She smiled. "Yep, I'll be here. Hey!" He turned back at the door, brows raised in silent question. "How about Grandma's stroganoff for dinner?"

He grinned widely. "I'm never one to turn that down Bells, you know that. And hey, that reminds me, Renée sent you a box of stuff that her mother left for you in her will. I stuck it in the attic about a week ago. Didn't figure you were in any shape to go through it. I'll see you at about six."

"Thanks Dad." She heard the front door close and smiled to herself. She was blessed to have Charlie for a father. They were so alike that he just got her, no explanations needed. It was a relief after all her years with her flighty, juvenile mother.

She got up and did the few dishes in the sink, her mind wandering through random thoughts, mostly about her dream and the box that was waiting in the attic.

Her grandmother had been a very strange lady, to say the least. Not as harebrained as Renée for sure, but still, very strange in her own hippy-mystic sort of way. She'd always had incense and candles burning the few times Bella remembered visiting her. They hadn't been close because Renée couldn't stand her mother for some reason. She'd refused to share the reason no matter how many times she'd asked through the years. It made her anxious to see what was in the box and a small thrill of excitement shot through her. Perhaps the answers to her questions were within it?

**Your thoughts?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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~o0o~

She stared up at the attic access door and shrugged. She had nothing pressing to do and as the saying goes, there's no time like the present. She smiled at the thought that ghosted through her mind as she pulled down the access stairs. _"Unless it's the past with a handsome, sandy blond man."_

She climbed the access stairs carefully, just knowing that she'd have to battle at least one spider. She shuddered. She hated spiders. She was pretty cool with them as long as they stayed the hell out of the house. It's when they started moving in and making themselves comfortable in the corners, that they parted ways and the war was on. She knew that they just had a desire to stay warm and dry too, but damn it, there was a perfectly good tool shed out back for that. The house was off-limits.

Thus having justified her future actions to herself, she cocked back with the fly swatter and entered the attic. Sure enough, she ran right into an invisible sticky strand that she knew to be from a black widow. Now to find the minion of evil…

She gave a cursory look around and didn't see the telltale black body suspended anywhere, so she stayed alert and went to the new box in the corner.

She pulled the box away from a stack of others, and nearly shrieked before her reflexes kicked in and there was one less black widow in the world.

"Shit." She placed a hand over her racing heart and tried to get her breathing back to normal as a shiver of revulsion wracked her body. "Okay Bella, just grab the damn box and get the fuck outta here."

After inspecting every inch of the thing, she hefted it and made her way back down stairs and into her room, setting it down in the middle of the floor.

She sat down next to it and lifted the lid, setting it off to the side. All she could see so far was a mass of tissue paper. Moving the top layers aside, she realized the paper was wrapped around something that felt like cloth, so she lifted the whole lot out and laid it on her bed, unwrapping it fully. It was a beautiful, old-fashioned dress, the lace and embellishments at a minimum on the deep green material. She was a bit surprised that she liked it. She wasn't exactly one for dresses of any kind but this one had a muted elegance to it that she found very appealing. Shrugging with a small smile, she went back to the box to see what other surprises lay inside.

The next item was an envelope, which she laid aside. There was a very thick and ancient looking book that had caught her eye and she was anxious to get a closer look at it. Lifting the old tome out, she placed it atop her desk carefully. The thing looked like it would crumble to dust any second, but when she opened it, she found the pages in surprisingly good condition. Another surprise was that every word in the book was hand written, and there were hundreds of pages. She flipped back to the opening page and read. _"Book of Shadows of the Vandio Family"_

Her breath caught in excitement. This could very well explain the rift between Renée and her grandmother. She eyed the envelope. Perhaps her grandmother left a further explanation? Only one way to find out.

She grabbed the envelope and popped the seal, pulling out several folded sheets of parchment. Unfolding the bulk, she began to read.

* * *

_My Dearest Grand Daughter Isabella,_

_If you are reading this, I am gone from this world. I only regret that I did not have more time with you in this life. I would have enjoyed that immensely, but due to circumstances beyond our control, it was not to be and we must accept it._

_As much as I want to convey my love and care for you, this letter has a much more important purpose. It is meant to tell you of your heritage, sweet Isabella, for you are one in a long line of witches. Do not doubt, my sweet. You have the gift just as your mother did not. The family Book of Shadows will instruct you in how to use it._

_It is of vital importance for your future happiness that you learn, and perform the ritual on page 13. Follow the directions my dear, and be exact. You will not be disappointed, I promise you. Wear the dress during the ritual, and hold the satchel. Remove nothing from it my sweet grand-daughter. You will need everything inside._

_All my love to you Isabella._

_Until we meet again._

_Your Grandmother,_

_Isabella Analetta Vandio_

* * *

Bella blew out a breath and stared into the distance. A witch? Seriously? She could barely take it in, but the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to fit. She felt the truth of it deep inside. It would certainly explain why Edward was blocked from her thoughts and why she felt so drawn to all things supernatural.

Looking back, she could see all the times that Renée discouraged her involvement in anything that even hinted at the mystical. The time she'd come unhinged when she found a set of tarot cards in her room...or the scrying crystal she'd been given as a birthday gift from a friend. It had disappeared shortly after she'd shown it to her mother. Now she knew why.

Paging through the rest of the documents behind the letter, she found identification papers with her name on them, but with a much earlier birth year. Much earlier, as in decades earlier. 1865 to be exact. It had a sticky note attached; _'Place in satchel'_.

She reached into the box and withdrew the satchel, opening it and placing the document inside. She was going to take a chance and trust her grandmother. She felt deep down that she needed to, so she went with it.

The rest of the papers behind the letter were details about late 1800's San Antonio, TX. She gave them a cursory look, peeling off the sticky note that warned against putting these particular documents in the satchel as they would raise questions if anyone else saw them.

She set them aside and went back to the Book of Shadows, turning to page 13 to read through the ritual. It seemed simple enough, but she would need a full moon, plenty of salt for a circle and candles. Ritual candles in white.

Booting up her laptop, she googled the moon cycles and was equally shocked and excited to see that the moon would be full this very night.

Shit. Was she ready? Could she be ready? She thought back to the Quileute bookstore in Port Angeles, remembering that they had a stock of candles and sage sticks. At least they had when she'd bought that book on their legends. She shrugged. She had to get to the grocery store for dinner supplies anyway. She might as well drop by and see if they had the candles.

Closing the book carefully, she grabbed her keys, debit card and phone and headed out. She locked up the house with a smile on her face. "Time for the next great adventure, eh Bella?"

**Your thoughts?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Thank you for all the great comments! I'm glad y'all are enjoying it so far. Please check out fandom 4 soldiers when you get the time. It's a great cause. I'm donating a story, as are many other wonderful authors. It's worth a look, I promise! ~Spudz  
**

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She went to the bookstore first. It wouldn't do to have the food sitting in a sun heated truck cab. She didn't want to poison her poor father with the first dinner she'd cooked since Edward had left. Not a good way to kick off her reëntry back into the land of the living. She chuckled at her thoughts as she hopped out of the truck and went into the store.

It was as quiet, and the atmosphere as heavy, as she remembered it being. It was as though there was an unseen presence in the place that just knew what she was and was cautiously watching. She shivered with the feeling and made her way to the counter.

The old woman there eyed her for a moment before saying anything. "May I help you?"

Bella nodded. "Yes, I need seven white candles and a box of the salt you have there."

The lady commented as she reached for the items. "A full moon ritual? Do you know what you're doing? It can be a dangerous thing to play with such serious magic."

Bella handed over her card and the lady ran it through, handing her the bag and receipt.

"Yes, I know what I'm doing. My grandmother left me instructions."

The old lady sat again, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ah, a family gift then. Good. You're going to need all the power you have."

Bella furrowed her brow, a question on the tip of her tongue when the old woman spoke again.

"I see a long journey in your eyes young witch, with much happiness...and, I'm sorry to say, much sadness, but the sadness will be short-lived, for you anyway. Stay strong young one and you will be fine."

Bella took the bag with a wary smile. "Thank you... I think."

She got back in her truck, shaking her head. Maybe the old woman got it wrong? Hadn't she already experienced the sadness? She nodded to herself as she drove. That had to be it, so she dismissed all thought of the old Quiluete lady as she pulled into the grocery store lot.

* * *

She was standing at the stove, just finishing up the pasta when Charlie walked in from work. "Man, that smells good Bells. I'm hungry enough to eat a moose."

She smirked. "Well beef is what's for dinner Dad, not moose. Sorry to disappoint."

He sighed as he popped a beer. "I guess I'll just have to settle then. Oh, by the way, I invited Billy and Jake. Hope that's all right?"

She shot him a dark smirk. "I had a feeling Dad, so I made plenty. At least I think I did. Jake eats like a horse these days, so you better take all you want up front before he gets to it."

He took a drink and shook his head. "I know. Must cost Billy a fortune just to feed the kid. Makes me glad I had a daughter."

She laughed, shaking the excess water off the pasta. "Glad to know you appreciate me for something Dad, thanks."

His eyes widened. "That didn't...I mean...I didn't mean it like that!" She grinned at him and he scowled. "You know what I mean."

She nodded, setting everything on the table. "Yeah Dad, I know you love me for more than the fact that I don't eat much."

"Exactly." He turned and walked out. "I'm gonna catch up on the scores until they get here."

"All right Dad." She covered everything and grabbed a soda from the fridge, leaning against the counter while she drank it. Jake walked in a few minutes later.

"Damn Bella, whatever you cooked smells great. You sure you won't marry me?"

She slapped his shoulder as he grinned at her. "Maybe you should concentrate on graduating high school before proposing, eh Jake?"

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess." His look was serious now as he sat at the table. "So how are you Bells? You look a hella lot better, that's for sure."

She slapped his hand as he lifted a cover. "I'm much better Jake. I just needed time to work it all out, that's all."

He got up and grabbed a soda from the fridge. "Well that's good Bells, 'cause you looked like you were at death's door for a while there. Frankly, you were scaring the shit outta me."

She glanced at him as she heard Charlie and Billy making their way into the kitchen. "Well, it's in the past now Jake. Let's leave it there, okay?"

He nodded. "My pleasure. If I never have to think about those leeches again…"

She shot him a dirty look. "Jake...the past...leave it there."

He sighed as Billy rolled up and Charlie sat down. "Right, the past, got it."

* * *

Jake helped her with the clean up after dinner and she was grateful for that, but then he wanted to hang around for a while and she wanted him gone.

She didn't want him to know about her heritage for some reason, and she really didn't want him to find out about the ritual she planned to perform later that evening. She was sure he'd ask all kinds of questions and express his opinion...loudly, as he always did, and she didn't feel like dealing with that.

Now that the clean up was done, they were sitting at the table again, Jake studying her curiously. "Why don't we go watch a movie in your room Bells? I got time. Billy's not gonna wanna leave for a while yet."

Bella yawned and shook her head. "I'm too tired Jake. Got up early this morning and I've been going all day, so…"

"Aw, come on Bells."

She shook her head. "Nope, sorry. I just really want to shower and go to bed."

He grinned at her. "I could help you out with that."

Her eyes widened. "I don't think so Jake. Not in this lifetime, or the next. We're friends Jake and that's all we'll ever be."

He looked down and she could see that he was becoming angry. "Not good enough for ya, eh?"

She sighed. "We've been over this Jake. You're like a brother to me and that's all I can see you being in my life. I'm just not attracted to you. It's not something I can force, ya know? Can you try to understand that, please?"

He stood, "Yeah, sure." ...and walked out.

She shook her head slowly in regret. She hated having to be so blunt with him, but he forced her into it. He just wouldn't back off of his crush and it was becoming a huge problem between them. She just hoped that their friendship survived it.

She made her way to the stairs, yelling out a goodnight to Charlie as she went. She really was tired, but she didn't want to miss this opportunity. She'd have to wait another month if she did, so she went straight to the book and began to study up on all that she'd need to do and say.

When she had it all memorized, she went ahead and took a shower. Couldn't hurt right? And if nothing happened with the ritual, she could come back in and go straight to bed which wasn't sounding so bad, if she were being honest.

After her shower, she waited, reading back through the ritual and placing all the supplies in a bag until she heard Billy leave and her Dad go to bed. She slipped into the dress, amazed that it was a perfect fit, everywhere. She gave herself a once over in the mirror, shocked at the way the dress hugged and revealed her every curve. She took a breath, calming her thoughts. _'Trust in your Grandmother Bella'._

She grabbed the satchel and bag of supplies and headed out, quietly. She sure as hell didn't want Charlie to see her like this. She wasn't sure how she'd go about explaining this if he did, and that whole mental ward thing she'd mentioned this morning would probably come back into conversation.

She eased her way out the back door and used the light of the moon to get to the small clearing. She set everything down and found a sturdy stick with a sharp end which she pushed into the ground in the center of where she wanted her circle. She attached a length of string to it loosely, so that she could walk a circle while holding it without it wrapping around the stick. Satisfied with the result, she grabbed the box of salt and opened it, dumping out a steady stream as she walked the circle while keeping the string taut. She stood back when she was done and smiled at the perfect result. Next, she placed the candles, lighting each one as she went. She glanced up at the moon and saw that it was now time to center herself in the circle and begin the chant.

Taking a bracing breath, she grabbed the satchel, stepped carefully into the circle and pulled the stick that was still in the center. Tossing it a few feet away, she sat with her legs crossed and placed the satchel in her lap.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and just breathed deeply, trying to settle her nerves as she repeated the chant in her head. When she felt settled, she opened her eyes, raised her hands palms up, and began.

* * *

The wolf quietly watched the girl that he wanted more than anyone in this world. He was surprised to see her setting up some sort of ritual circle. He'd had no idea that she was into that sort of thing, but he wouldn't interfere, for now. He would watch and wait.

He heard her begin speaking some sort of chant and was shocked when she was surrounded by a soft light that intensified as she kept chanting. The flames on the candles rose in height, and a gentle breeze began to circle where she sat.

Her voice rose in volume as the light brightened to an almost blinding degree, then there was a brilliant flash...and she was gone...

...never to hear the mournful howl of a lone, watching wolf.

**Your thoughts?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Another chapter. Hope you enjoy. It's Sept. 11 and I just have to say, blessings to all those who were affected by that fateful day. Blessings to our troops and those who have fought, or still fight, along side them. They're still over there, fighting, risking all and sometimes losing all for our country. No matter how you feel about the action or the politics, these soldiers lay it all on the line for all of us. Let's not forget them. Love to you. ~Spudz**

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Peter Whitlock was just exiting the general store with his purchases when he noticed a gathering crowd at the end of the street. Never one to deny his curiosity, he made his way to the group and politely, but firmly moved through to the front. What he saw there had his breath catching. She was a strikingly beautiful girl, passed out in a heap. He scowled at the onlookers. "Anyone know her? Why you just leavin' her to lay there?"

He surveyed the group and they were all shaking their heads. The barber spoke. "Nobody here knows her. She just seemed to appear here. All she had was this satchel." He held it up and Pete took it.

"Stand back, all of you. I'm gonna take her to Mrs. Cuthbert's. Leastways there, she won't be a spectacle for y'all to gawk at."

The bulk of them backed up, looking ashamed as Pete scooped her into his arms thinking to himself how she weighed next to nothing. He also noticed as he carried her, that she smelled really good and felt perfect in his arms. He studied her face as he walked, his eyes lingering on her petal soft lips the longest. He wondered how those lips would feel under his…

He shook his head and mumbled to himself. "Quit it Whitlock. You don't even know her name...yet." He grinned to himself as he pulled her closer before knocking on the door of Mrs. Cuthbert's boarding house.

"Well, Peter Whitlock! What have you there young man?"

He stepped through the door. "Well ma'am, I found her at the end of the street, passed out in front of the barber's, whole crowd gathered 'round her. Not a soul knows who she is, so I figured it'd be best to bring her here. Wouldn't be proper for me to take her to my place."

She bustled around, getting a room key before waving him to follow. "No indeed young man. What would your Mama say?"

He smirked. "Yes ma'am, that's exactly why I brought her straight here. No need to involve my Mama as it's all been right and proper."

She harrumphed at him as she opened the room, giving him her best stink eye at how close he was holding the girl. "Just lay her on the bed there young Whitlock, and then you get yourself on home. Ain't no good to be had staying out past dark around here, no sir. But then you'd know all about that, wouldn't you? "

He smiled and nodded. Being a Texas Ranger ensured that he knew all about the darker parts of their society. "Yes ma'am, I reckon I would."

She plucked some clean linens and a night-dress from the wardrobe before turning back to him..

"Don't you worry about this here girl. I'll take right good care of her."

"Yes ma'am." He stopped at the door. "I'll be 'round to check on her tomorrow though. If you'd let her know, I'd be obliged."

She waved distractedly as she placed the satchel on the dresser top. "Yes, yes, I'll be sure to. Now get! I need to see to her. You know the way out."

He grinned at her gruffness. "Yes ma'am, I surely do."

~o0o~

Bella woke slowly to the sounds of birds chirping loudly just outside her window. It wasn't a sound she was used to waking to since the birds in Forks were usually subdued because of the almost constant rain. Cracking one eye open for a second she could see why they were so vocal as the bright sunlight pierced the morning fog around her brain. She rolled over with a groan. She wasn't ready to get up yet and going back to sleep sounded like a fine idea.

Just as she placed the pillow over her head though, she heard the door open and a strange woman's voice. "Rise and shine Missy. You've slept a solid fourteen hours young lady and folks are needin' answers from you. We need to know if you've any kinsfolk looking for you since you showed up outta thin air, seems like."

Bella's eyes widened as what the woman was saying sank in. Holy shit! Where was she? More than that, _when_ was she? Her heart started to pound. She really hadn't thought this all out. What the hell was she supposed to tell people about her history?

She sat up slowly only to see the woman standing there with her hands on her hips. "Well, there you are. I was wonderin' if you was ever gonna come up for air. Now, what's your name missy?"

Bella swallowed, her mouth like cotton all of a sudden. "Isa...Isabella Swan ma'am."

The lady nodded and sat in the chair. "Well now, that's a good start. Can't say I've ever heard the name Swan around these parts, though. I'm Mrs. Cuthbert and you're here at my boardin' house. Young Whitlock said he found you in a heap right outside the barber's shop, and he brought you here. You was lucky he was the one to take charge of you, let me tell you. Right proper young man, that one, but don't you be tellin' him I said so. Can't go havin' him gettin' a big head about things."

Bella shook her head, still somewhat in shock. "No ma'am, I won't tell him." She looked up. "I don't even know him."

She watched as Mrs. Cuthbert got what could only be termed a smirk, on her face.

"Oh, I reckon he's gonna remedy that right quick missy. He already said to tell you he'd be by today to check on you.

Bella's eyes widened. "He's coming by? Here? When?"

Mrs. Cuthbert hooted in glee. "You can bet he is missy. He looked right smitten with you when he carried you in here, he did. He's probably havin' his breakfast at the hotel as we speak and if I was a bettin' woman, which I'm not, but if I was, I'd lay money on him bein' here in the next hour at the most."

Bella looked up from her lap. "What...what does he look like?" She dropped her gaze, completely missing the gleam of mischief in the older woman's eyes.

"Oh, well he's kinda short, a bit thick around the middle and if you squint a bit, the bald spot and bad teeth won't bother you much. He's got a good heart though, and would treat you right proper, he would."

She had to stifle a laugh when Bella looked up, a horrified expression on her face.

"Oh god, no! No! I'm not interested in a man! I just need to get settled and figure things out for my self! Can't you tell him something for me? Give him a message? Tell him I'm very grateful for his help, but that I'm too upset to see anyone? Please?"

"Oh no missy. You can do your own conveyin'. I got plenty to do to keep me busy. Now, the washroom is down the hall, second door on your left. You get yourself ready and get down to breakfast. I've done spent all the time up here that I can. I got other boarders to see to, hun. I'll expect you down in fifteen minutes."

She rose from the chair and bustled out the door, leaving Bella almost breathless in her shock and dismay. What the hell was she gonna do now? She really hadn't bargained on having some homely little man after her first thing, that was for sure.

She sighed and got out of bed, just now noticing the night-dress she was wearing. She felt herself blush and hoped against hope that it was Mrs. Cuthbert that changed her out of her dress.

Grabbing her things, she peeked out the door to see if the way was clear, then shot to the washroom.

Washing up as best she could, she regretted not packing a modern toothbrush and toothpaste. The one Mrs. Cuthbert had laid out for her wasn't terrible, but put it this way, they'd come a hell of a long way in making toothpaste palatable by the modern days. The powdery stuff from this era tasted like the back side of shit, but she gagged her way through a thorough brushing. Gads, it was bad.

After quickly pinning up her hair, she was as ready as she'd ever be to face the coming inquisition so she made her way downstairs trying diligently to slip into the dining room unnoticed. She didn't succeed.

"Well, there you are Miss Isabella. Let me introduce you to everyone. To your right is Miss Claire Woods, to your left is Mr. Henry Wilcox, and directly across from you is Mr. Michael O'Hanlon."

Bella inclined her head in greeting to each of them, taking special note of the predatory look in Mr. O'Hanlon's eyes. He wasn't a bad looking man, but there was just something about him that creeped her out.

"It's very nice to meet you all."

Claire glanced over at her as she helped her plate. "So we hear that you were found outside the barber's shop in a dead faint. What happened to you?"

Bella shook her head. "I'm not exactly sure. I don't have a clear memory of what happened yesterday."

Mrs. Cuthbert reached over and patted her hand. "You poor dear. Do you remember anything at all? Why you came here?"

Bella looked down and shook her head. "I do know that both my parents are dead, and I don't recall any siblings. Not sure why I came here though, I'm sorry."

Mrs. Cuthbert tsk'ed. "No need for apologies dear. I certainly have plenty of room here, so there's no rush. You just relax and focus on the important things, and perhaps some family member will show up lookin' for you. Then the mystery will be solved."

Bella nodded and smiled at her. "Thank you. You're very kind."

"Think nothin' of it hun. Now eat! Your food's gettin' cold."

She tried to eat, she really did, but every bite went down like lead. She was worried about this Mr. Whitlock fellow showing up and how she was going to get rid of the homely little man without seeming too rude or ungrateful.

She had just taken another hesitant bite when Mrs. Cuthbert's voice rose above the quiet table conversation. "Well young Mr. Whitlock! You're here bright and early! I wonder what brings you by to see us."

She watched as all color drained out of Bella's face and instantly felt sorry for teasing the poor girl. Well, there was nothing to be done for it now, and she'd be put out of her misery just as soon as she got a look at him. She'd be sure to apologize to the poor girl later.

Bella got chills of the best kind as she heard a velvet smooth Texas drawl reply.

"I came by as I said I would Mrs. Cuthbert. I wanted to check on the welfare of the girl I found."

Good god, she could combust from the sound of his voice alone. Surely a voice like that couldn't come from a homely little frog of a man? Still, she dreaded turning and facing reality, so she stayed put.

"Well then, she's right here Mr. Whitlock. Miss Isabella Swan, meet your rescuer, Mr. Peter Whitlock."

***evil cackle***

**Your thoughts?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: There is not going to be a rape in this story. I would warn beforehand if that was the case.  
**

**~o0o~**

* * *

**~o0o~**

_"Well then, she's right here Mr. Whitlock. Miss Isabella Swan, meet your rescuer, Mr. Peter Whitlock."_

This was it. Now she had no choice, so she stood and turned slowly from her chair, eyes widening in shock when she saw the man. She let out a little gasp. It was the man from her dream!

She felt her vision darkening and her knees going weak but he caught her to him before she could fall.

"Whoa there Miss. You all right sugar?"

God, but he smelled good and he felt good too. Well, the parts she could feel of his muscled chest under her hands anyway. She nodded and mourned the loss of him as he helped her back into her seat but then he knelt in front of her. "Are you sure? Should I fetch the doctor?"

He glanced from Isabella's beautiful face to Mrs. Cuthbert's who was nodding. "Yes, I do believe you should Mr. Whitlock. After her fainting last evening and almost fainting just now, she should be looked at just to be safe."

Bella came out of her stupor when their words sank in. "No! " She took a deep breath and let it out. "No, really, I don't need a doctor. I'll be fine in a moment."

She met his beautiful hazel eyes that were filled with worry and skepticism and smiled. "Really Mr. Whitlock, I'll be fine. There's nothing wrong with me."

Bella and Pete looked at Mrs. Cuthbert as she scoffed. "Nothing but fainting and the loss of your memories. I'd say that's quite enough and warrants a visit from the doctor."

Peter rose from his place beside her. "I agree. I'll go fetch him and be back directly."

He turned and left, ignoring Bella's protests.

She sighed in defeat and shook her head before scowling at a contrite looking Mrs. Cuthbert. "Short? Thick around the middle? Bald spot and bad teeth?!"

Mrs. Cuthbert smiled sheepishly. "Forgive an old lady a little fun. I only meant to tease, not send you into a panic my dear. I'm truly sorry for distressin' ya hun. I had no idea you'd take it so hard."

Bella nodded with a sigh. "I forgive you and any other time, I'd probably have a good laugh right along with you. I must admit, you got me good."

She looked over as Claire giggled behind her hand. "She told you those things about the divine Mr. Whitlock?"

Bella nodded as she sipped her tea. "Yes, she certainly did. Had me dreading his arrival, that's for sure."

Mrs Cuthbert giggled, clearing her throat delicately and sipping her tea as Bella pinned her with one brow raised.

The older woman grinned and raised the tea pot. "More tea dear?"

Bella smirked and held her cup and saucer. "Please."

She was just stirring a cube of sugar into it when they all heard the front door open and close.

Bella's heart picked up its pace at the thought of being in the same room as her 'dream man' once again. She still couldn't quite believe this turn of events. She wondered just how the hell her grandmother knew any of this. Just what had compelled her to have Bella perform that ritual? It was also obvious that she knew exactly when and where she would end up. It was a huge mystery and she mourned the fact that she would probably never solve it, now that her grandmother was dead.

Mr. O'Hanlon decided to speak up just as Pete walked back in with the doctor. "I'd be happy to help you up to your room Miss Isabella, so the doctor can check you over."

She gasped as Pete scooped her into his arms. "No need O'Hanlon. I'll be helpin' her." He grinned at the man. "You just relax and sip your tea."

Bella shivered and snuggled closer as she saw the dark look O'Hanlon shot Peter. As he began to climb the stairs, she glanced up at him.

"You really shouldn't pick a fight with that man Mr. Whitlock. He looks dangerous to me."

He glanced down at her with a playful grin. "Oh, him? Nah, he ain't nothin' sugar. All talk with nothin' backin' it up."

He placed her on her bed. "My job's over Miss Isabella. I'll leave you to the doctor now."

He headed for the door and she got a pang in her chest. "Thank you for your help Mr. Whitlock."

He turned with a smile. "It was my pleasure Miss. May I call on you again?"

Relief filled her and she smiled. "I'd like that very much."

He grinned, a dimple showing in one cheek. "Well, okay then. I'll see you later Miss, Mrs Cuthbert, Dr. Horton. A good day to you all."

He turned and left and Mrs. Cuthbert shut the door. "Would you like me to stay dear?"

Bella eyed the old doctor and nodded. "Yes, I would, thank you."

It turned out to be a very cursory check up and Bella was thankful for small favors. She hadn't looked forward to having to throw a fit if he'd insisted on something embarrassing. It was a bullet dodged and she considered it a win, especially since he could find nothing wrong with her.

He was putting his things back in his bag when Bella thought of something. "Doctor? I'll be by your office to pay you just as soon as I'm able to get to the bank and start an account."

He continued gathering his things. "No need Miss. Mr. Whitlock paid me up front." He inclined his head and left.

Bella looked at Mrs. Cuthbert. "He paid you too didn't he?"

She smiled in understanding. "He sure did hun, for a week."

Bella stood. "Where is the bank Mrs Cuthbert? I've a need to see to some debts."

"Oh dear, he wouldn't like that hun. He did it outta care for you."

Bella spun around to stare incredulously. "Care for me? He doesn't even know me! He can't just go around paying my way. It's not right and I'm going to fix it just as soon as I get to the bank."

Mrs. Cuthbert's brows rose. "Oh my, y'all are gonna butt heads for sure. He did you a kindness girl, let it lie."

Bella shook her head as she headed for the door. "I can't. I won't. I have my own funds for a reason and it isn't right to put him out in such a way. I suppose I'll find the bank on my own. This town can't be that large."

She left with her satchel in hand, leaving a spluttering Mrs. Cuthbert in her wake.

She regretted her decision almost immediately. The town, as it turned out, was pretty big, especially if you had no idea where you were going. It was also filled with some rough looking men who had quite perfected the leer.

After turning down two side streets and one main street, she realized that she was well and truly lost. There was no help for it, she would have to ask someone for assistance. She glanced around and saw two women walking together. "Excuse me, could you direct me to the bank please?"

The women stopped. "Sure hun, but you shouldn't be in town by yourself. Why, my husband would tan our daughter's hide good if she tried something like that. Where's your Mama or Daddy child?"

Bella tried hard to check her temper, realizing that she was in a very different place and time. "I'm alone ma'am and have no one, that's why I need to get to the bank for funds to pay my way."

The women's eyes widened. "Oh my, I'm sorry to hear that sugar. The bank's just around this corner and one block up. You be careful though. Plenty of no-goods in this town that'd love to get their hands on you. We'd walk you there but we're already late for an appointment."

Bella smiled. "That's all right. I'll find my way now. Thank you."

She was just rounding the corner when she felt someone grab her from behind and drag her into an alley, hand over her mouth. Terror shot through her and she struggled, stomping on her captors foot.

"Damn! Calm down little filly, I just want to have a little fun, then I'll let ya be on your way."

She struggled some more and he only tightened his grip on her as he began trying to kiss her neck. She realized that she would have to try a different strategy so she relaxed fully and tilted her head.

It seemed to work as he laughed and loosened his hold. "That's it little girl. Ya sure broke easy enough. Now we'll have some real fun."

He didn't remove his hand from over her mouth but it had loosened enough that she thought she could probably get a good bite in, then maybe she'd be able to scream. She hoped so anyway so she gave it a try.

She bit him as hard as she could, drawing blood, and was screaming at the top of her lungs as soon as he let up on her enough.

"Damn it! Ya whore." He snarled. "You're gonna pay for that ya little bitch. I was even gonna treat ya nice and let ya have some fun too, but now I'm just gonna use ya like the slut ya are."

Tears filled her eyes as she prayed with everything in her, that someone had heard her screams.

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**~o0o~**

* * *

**~o0o~**

Tears were streaming down her face as she struggled in his renewed hold, all the while praying that her gamble had paid off and that help was on its way.

The man spun her around and pinned her face first to the wall and she squeezed her eyes shut as he started gathering her skirts, the smell of his foul breath making her stomach roll. She whimpered and heard a solid thumping noise and then she was free and being scooped into the now familiar arms of Peter Whitlock. "Lock that no-good up Ray and I'll be there in a while after I see to the lady."

"Sure thing Pete. I'll start the paperwork, you can add to it later."

He hauled the dazed criminal up and drug him out of sight by one arm and the scruff of the neck.

She kept her face pressed close to Pete's chest, just taking in his calming scent, trying desperately to slow her racing heart and calm her nerves. Her tears just wouldn't stop however, and she began to shake uncontrollably as the shock of what almost happened set in.

Pete sat down on a nearby bench, pulling the distraught woman close as he spoke to her in low tones. "Hey now, you're all right Miss Isabella, it's over now. I gotcha."

She buried her face in his shirt that she clutched with both hands and continued to cry quietly. "He didn't hurt you did he? We got to you in time?"

She nodded and Pete felt relief wash through him as he held her just a little bit tighter, closing his eyes and giving silent thanks that she was spared such a horror.

Being a Texas Ranger, he'd seen the aftermath of such a violation of a woman and he knew it was something that they never really got over; something they simply learned to live with. He also knew that some never did.

Her shaking was beginning to ease, so he reached into his pocket and withdrew a clean handkerchief which he handed to her.

"Thank you Mr. Whitlock." Her voice was still somewhat choked with her tears as she began to dry her eyes. "I don't know what I would have done…" Her voice caught and she covered her face as a fresh wave of tears assailed her.

He pulled her to his chest, his fingers running through her hair as he soothed her. "It's all right sugar. You're safe now. You're safe."

Her tears eventually slowed and she began to try to pull herself together again. She felt a bit embarrassed about blubbering all over this gorgeous man's shirt. Now, how to exit this situation with at least a shred of dignity intact?

She sat up and tried to smooth out his now very rumpled, shirt. "Oh god, I've ruined your shirt. I'm so sorry."

He laughed quietly. "It's quite all right sugar. Don't worry yourself, it's just a shirt and I have a bunch more just like this one. What I'm worried with is you. You all right now darlin'?"

She sat up straighter, becoming a bit embarrassed that she was sitting in his lap now that she wasn't so distressed. She felt herself blush. "Yes, I'll be fine now. I think I was just a bit shocked by what happened."

He nodded. "Understandable. Anybody would have been. It was a close call. I just thank the lord that we got to you in time."

He was silent a moment, but she could tell that he had more he wanted to say, so she waited.

He cleared his throat and fidgeted a bit and she blushed even more at the feel of his body so close to hers. Now that she wasn't about to go to pieces, she was very aware of the muscular thighs she sat upon and the warm, solid chest she was nestled against. She had to do something before this turned into a very awkward situation.

She lifted her head to look at him and was caught off guard when their gazes locked as he looked down at her in turn.

He was so close, his luscious lips so close...an inch forward and she could taste those lips…lose herself in that mouth...draw him in and play...It didn't help matters that he was slowly leaning down, looking almost entranced, drawing closer, slowly closer. Should she let this happen so soon?

Her voice came out in little more than a whisper, just a fraction of an inch away from his lips by then. "I think I'll be fine now Mr. Whitlock, if you could put me down, I'd be grateful."

The speed at which he acted was almost breathtaking and she blinked at finding herself sitting on the bench while he paced a few feet away, his hat in his hand as he ran the other through his sandy hair, his body noticeably tense. "My apologies Miss. It wasn't proper of me to hold you for so long."

She smiled a small smile at his obvious embarrassment. "It's quite all right Mr. Whitlock. I appreciated the comfort. You made me feel very safe."

He stopped and stared at her for a moment, and nodded. "I just didn't want you to see me as taking advantage of your distress for less than gentlemanly purposes." He stared at the ground as a blush suffused his cheeks. She thought it was adorable, in a very masculine way of course.

"Not at all Mr. Whitlock."

He smiled, a small, nervous smile, looking very relieved. "Good. That's good. I wouldn't want to offend you."

He scrunched the brim of his hat in his hands. "Miss Isabella, I don't want to seem forward, but what are you doin' in town all by yourself? It's a dangerous place for a beautiful young woman, as you discovered."

She thought of her purpose and gasped, looking around frantically for her satchel. "My satchel! Have you seen it?! Oh god, it has everything that's important to me in it!"

He held out a hand. "Calm down Miss and wait right there. I'll look for it. You probably dropped it when that scoundrel grabbed you." He walked off toward the mouth of the alley and just at the corner of the building, she saw him bend down and pick something up, holding it up to show her with a smile as he made his way back to her.

He handed it to her and she blew out a breath in relief. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done had I lost it. It has my means for living in it," She shot him a dark look. "...which reminds me, I owe you some funds for the boarding house and the doctor."

He was shaking his head before she was even through speaking. "No ma'am. You don't owe me a dime. I did that because I wanted to."

"It's still too much Mr. Whitlock. I can't have you paying my way. You barely know me. It's not right."

He narrowed his eyes at her and she crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her's right back at him. Then he smirked and she thought she may have ovulated on the spot. Jesus, but he was gorgeous.

"Tell you what Miss...I'll let you pay me back...if you agree to havin' dinner with me... _And_... I escort you to where you need to go, when you've a need to go somewhere."

She smirked at him. "I would've had dinner with you anyway, so that part's a deal, but I can't possibly put you out every time I need to go somewhere Mr. Whitlock, really."

His expression was steadfast, determination in every line of his body

"Those are my terms Miss Isabella. I will not concede."

She fumed for a moment, her mind working furiously to outsmart him.

Then she thought about all the shopping she still needed to do...for clothing and all the other trappings that a woman of means in this time required, and she grinned widely. She was sure that, after being dragged around to all the shops for that alone, he would be begging for mercy.

"Fine Mr. Whitlock. Our first stop is the bank." She stood, back straight and marched off, leaving Pete frozen where he stood for a minute, wondering what the hell just happened.

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**~o0o~**

**Previously:**

_"Fine Mr. Whitlock. Our first stop is the bank." She stood, back straight and marched off, leaving Pete frozen where he stood for a minute, wondering what the hell just happened._

**~o0o~**

Bella strolled along the boardwalk, a beautiful parasol over her shoulder, a feeling of accomplishment filling her as she considered all she'd gotten done during the day.

She'd gone to the bank and gotten her finances in order first thing, pleased with the fact that she was now quite comfortable in that respect, bless her grandmother's departed soul.

She'd then gone to a lovely little seamstress shop and purchased several ready-made day dresses and been fitted for a few more formal ones that she'd be picking up later. She'd also purchased all the underthings that she needed too, plus shoes, boots, gloves and hats.

She glanced to the side at poor, bedraggled looking Mr. Whitlock and nearly laughed out loud as he struggled under the load of boxes and paper wrapped packages he now carried—by his insistence. With a smirk, she spoke. "Are you certain that I can't at least take some of that from you Mr. Whitlock? You look weary."

He shuffled things around in order to see her. "No Ma'am. I'm just fine. Just let me know when we've reached Mrs. Cuthbert's."

Bella stopped in her tracks, a hand on her hip, scowling as he struggled not to drop anything. "You know, I don't think I've ever met a more stubborn man in my life! What's wrong with me carrying some of that?"

He shuffled everything again, peering around the stack in his arms. "It's not gentlemanly to have a lady carryin' packages when there's a man to do it Miss Isabella, and my Mama raised a gentleman."

She hm'ed and continued walking until they'd reached Mrs. Cuthbert's steps. "We're here Mr. Whitlock, now how in the world are you going to manage the steps?"

A muffled "I'll be just fine Miss." was her only answer as she climbed the few steps to the door, opening it and standing to the side to allow him to pass. Amazingly, he did do fine with them and she closed the door behind them as Mrs. Cuthbert walked into the foyer from the parlor. "Oh my! Looks like you done bought out the stores Miss Isabella!"

Bella smirked as Peter groaned quietly as he stood there. "Yes, well I did need a good amount. Mr. Whitlock was kind enough to help me with it all."

Mrs. Cuthbert tsk'ed. "You poor boy, why your arms must be about to fall clean off! Go on with you. Take it on up to her room and we'll wait on you down here. I'll fix you up a cool glass of lemonade."

He answered with a muffled "Much obliged Ma'am." before making his way carefully up the stairs.

Mrs. Cuthbert eyed Bella for a beat before Bella grinned at her. "He refused to let me pay him back unless I agreed to him escorting me around town." She shrugged a shoulder and Mrs. Cuthbert hooted.

"Why, don't you have an ornery streak! That poor boy don't know what he's got himself into."

Bella placed her parasol next to the coat rack and went into the parlor, taking a seat on the sofa as Mrs. Cuthbert walked in with a tray of refreshments, setting it on the low table in front of the sofa.

She poured glasses of lemonade for each of them just as Peter walked into the room. He took a seat on the sofa next to Bella, placing his hat on the side table.

He still looked a little worn out and the two women watched as he picked up the glass of lemonade, draining it quickly before his gaze met with the two slightly smirking women watching him.

Bella finally had mercy on him. "Thank you for your help today Mr. Whitlock. I hate to think what this day would have been like if you hadn't gotten there when you did."

He set his glass back on the tray. "It was my pleasure Miss. With that reminder though, I have some work to get done back at the office, so if you ladies will excuse me, I'll be going now."

He stood and grabbed his hat. "Miss Swan, I'll call on you tomorrow evening, six o'clock, to escort you to dinner, if I may?"

She smiled up at him. "I'd like that very much Mr. Whitlock. Thank you."

He tipped his hat. "Mrs. Cuthbert. Thank you kindly for the lemonade Ma'am."

"You're very welcome Mr. Whitlock."

He turned and left as Bella stared after him, her eyes lingering for a moment on his handsome form.

The subtle clearing of a throat startled her from the dreamy trance she'd fallen into and she turned to a smirking Mrs. Cuthbert.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

The woman chuckled. "I did. I asked about your dinner plans for tomorrow night. It seems the young Mr. Whitlock isn't wasting any time in the courtin' of you young Miss."

Bella sipped her lemonade. "No, I suppose he isn't." She glanced at her hostess. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Oh, no indeed child! I do believe it means he's serious." The expression on Mrs. Cuthbert's face lost all humor. "I would caution you against leadin' him for a chase sugar. He's a fine young man and if you're not looking for a husband, then you should make that clear to him and let him be on his way. Plus you haven't recalled anything about family or why you're here have you?"

Bella coughed on a sip of lemonade, the word husband startling her. "I would never lead any man on a chase Mrs. Cuthbert, but husband? We just met! And no, I haven't recalled anything yet."

The woman eyed her shrewdly. "Pardon my forthrightness child, but this ain't some big city back east. This is the west and things are done a bit different 'round these parts. When a man finds a woman that catches his fancy, he don't waste much time in the courtin' and they don't hold for long, fancy engagements 'round here neither. Even been some that have sent away for brides through the mail and they marry the minute they arrive, with no more that a letter or two exchanged between them."

Bella sat back in a daze. "Shit."

Mrs. Cuthbert gasped, her brows reaching her hairline and Bella slapped a hand over her mouth looking at her with wide eyes. "I'm so sorry Mrs. Cuthbert! Please forgive my language?! I was a bit shocked I guess."

She chuckled, her head shaking. "You are an odd one child, I'll give you that. Can't recall ever meetin' anyone quite like you."

Bella nodded and picked up her satchel. "Well, I'm pretty tired from my day. I think I'll go on up to my room. I'm not really hungry either, so don't bother calling me for dinner. Thank you for the lemonade. Good night."

Mrs. Cuthbert nodded., eyeing her speculatively "Good night child. I'll see you at breakfast."

Bella got to her room and after putting all her purchases away, sat on her bed as her mind wandered to Peter Whitlock.

There was just no denying that she was attracted to him and she could safely say that the attraction was even stronger than what she had felt for Edward, which surprised her. She'd thought that Edward's supernatural pull would have had more of a sway over her than that of a mortal man, but now she knew differently.

There was just something about Peter Whitlock, something that felt so right and they hadn't even kissed yet!

Sighing, she glanced around her room, knowing that despite being tired from the day, she'd never be able to sleep at the moment. She felt too wound up, her mind going from thought to thought, restless.

What she really wanted to do was go for a walk. She'd done that a lot in Forks after she'd recovered enough from Edward's leaving and the walks always helped ground her so that she could at least get to sleep.

Mind now made up, she rose and made her way out of her room and down the stairs, hoping that she could make it out of the house with none the wiser.

She sighed in relief as she closed the door to the boarding house, making her way down the steps and onto the boardwalk.

At least she now had basic knowledge of the layout of the town and wouldn't get lost if she stayed on the main streets. She smiled softy to herself as she breathed deeply, the cool evening air soothing her as her thoughts calmed.

She was just passing an alley when a noise caught her attention and she glanced around in the deepening shadows.

The sight of a man accosting another man had her breath catching and she froze as she stared. The man doing the accosting was blond, a very familiar shade of honey blond and her heart picked up speed just as he glanced up from his victim's neck, his red gaze meeting hers squarely.

There was just no mistaking that face and hair, even though his eyes were very different. "Jasper." she whispered, dread filling her.

He heard her loud and clear though. There was just no mistaking his furrowed brow as he released his now dead prey, facing her fully. "How do you know my name? We have never met." He smirked, taking a deep breath. "You smell good though darlin'. A shame I already had my meal." He tilted his head as if hearing something and looked back at her. "I'll be back around, don't you worry."

The next thing she knew, Jasper had vanished from sight and she cried out in fright when hands grabbed her.

"Miss Swan? What are you doing out here alone?! Good lord woman, are you trying to get yourself hurt or killed?"

She looked up into the concerned and somewhat angry face of Peter Whitlock and relief filled her as she clutched to him tightly, her whole body shaking. "Oh god, I thought… I thought…"

She laid her head against his chest and squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't very well voice who or what she had thought grabbed her, so she shut her mouth, doing her best not to fall to pieces yet again that day.

"Miss Swan? What has you so scared? Did someone hurt you? Did something happen?"

She shook her head as his partner began to walk into the alley and she panicked, holding a hand out to the man. "No! Don't go in there! Please! You might get hurt!"

Peter cupped her cheek, tilting her face up toward him gently. "Hey now Miss, this is what we do. If there's a problem, we need to check it out. Now what did you see?"

She shook her head and looked back toward the alley, his partner now just about where she supposed the body to be. When he kept walking without finding anything, she looked down, backing up to lean against the side of the building, weak with shock and relief.

His partner was back a minute later. "Find anything Ray?"

Bella looked up, catching Ray's glance as he answered. "A little fresh blood on the side of the building, but that was it."

"Miss Swan, you sure you didn't see anything?"

Bella sighed. "I saw a man beating up another man, but I can't describe either of them. I'm sorry."

Peter shook his head. "Ray, I'm gonna escort Miss Swan home. Save me a biscuit at dinner." He smirked and Ray grumbled as he walked away.

He turned and offered Bella his arm. "Shall we?"

She took his arm and they began walking. "Now, I ask again, are you intent on seeing yourself harmed? 'Cause it sure seems that way to me."

She bristled, releasing his arm as she turned to face him. "I appreciate all you've done to help me Mr. Whitlock, but what I do and why is really none of your business. I don't have to answer to you. Good night."

She turned and began walking away and he caught her arm. "Wait just a minute. Don't go gettin' a bee in your bonnet there Miss. I'm askin' 'cause I care what happens to you."

She stared up at him, her eyes looking into earnest hazel before moving down to those tempting lips and back again. Losing herself to her want, she rose up as she pulled him down, her hand behind his head as their lips met for the first time. She could tell that he was shocked as he hesitated for the barest moment but then he was pulling her close, their lips parting as the kiss deepened.

She buried her hand in his sandy hair as their tongues met, languidly tasting, exploring, foreshadowing the intimacy that their bodies now hungered for, their passions flaring within moments.

A gentleman clearing his throat in disapproval as he walked by was like a bucket of ice water and Peter broke the kiss, setting her away from him as he tried to control his breathing and body's response.

He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair as he glanced at Bella who smiled widely at him. "Good night Peter. I'll see you tomorrow at six."

She turned and made her way into the boarding house without a look back, completely missing the shocked look on his face which quickly morphed into a smile as he slapped his hat on his leg, turned and walked off, whistling a happy tune.

**Story is going to move much faster from here on out.**

**Did you catch the foreshadowing?**

**Your thoughts? Reviews are appreciated.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: I have to tell you that I am not a witch nor a practicing Wiccan. All of this stuff is completely made up as I go, so if I'm screwing it up, please forgive me. LOL Also, I am fully aware that Jasper's last name is not Hale. It bothers me using it, but it serves my purpose for now because Bella is not aware he is really a Whitlock at this point. Thanks to all those who left awesome reviews. You all rock. Happy reading!  
**

* * *

**~o0o~**

By the time she had made it back to her room, her giddiness from the kiss had taken a back seat to the more chilling memory of Jasper's words. _"I'll be back around."_

She wasn't stupid. Neither was she in denial. She had received his message and meaning clearly: He thought she smelled pretty damn tasty and she was now the next choice on his menu.

She scowled. She'd be damned if she had come all this way, all this _time_, just to be drained like a juice box by the vampire that had fucked up her last relationship with his shitty control. She could see herself happy with Peter Whitlock damn it! _Why_ was Jasper Hale such a persistent pain in her ass?

With anger overriding fright, she grabbed her satchel off the dresser and dug through, quickly finding the sheaf of papers her grandmother had packed for her.

Thumbing through them, she smirked when she located the one that outlined a spell of protection, quickly reading it over for a list of things she would need and memorizing the chant.

Candles, a ritual knife and a small pentagram that she could draw with chalk. Perfect. She would perform the spell now as she didn't want to chance waiting. Who knew when he would decide he was thirsty?

Rolling the rug in the center of her floor quickly, she placed it to the side and drew out the pentagram with chalk she found in the satchel. Opening the bedside table drawer, she took out the store of white candles and counted out seven before placing the rest back and closing the drawer.

Setting everything up precisely, she made sure her door was locked and sat herself down in the center, lighting each candle around her and the one set directly in front of her before tossing the box of matches onto the bed and centering herself.

She began the chant quietly, her eyes closing as each candle flickered in the gentle air that now circled around her, completing the chant three times in succession.

Opening her eyes, she picked up the ritual knife and cleansed both sides of the blade with the flame of the candle in front of her before steeling herself and making a cut in the palm of her left hand. When the blood welled up, she raised her hand, speaking a prayer of goodwill and protection against vampires to the goddess before dripping her blood into the flame of the candle as an offering. When she did so, the flames all around her flared, the one consuming her offering flaring a bright blue; a clear indication of pleased acceptance.

Raising both hands, she closed with a prayer of thanks, the flames on all ritual candles extinguishing instantly when the prayer was complete.

She sat for a moment, basking in the feeling of subtle power that still flowed gently through and around her.

Rising from her place on the floor, she went to the basin, pouring a bit of water in a bowl and wetting a cloth. First she washed the blood off her hand and wrapped it with a clean dry cloth. She then grabbed the wet cloth and wrung it out with her good hand.

She had to take care of the pentagram on the floor. She wasn't stupid. She knew that if anyone saw such a thing in her room, all hell would break loose. She had no idea what they did with suspected witches these days, and she sure as hell didn't want to find out so she scrubbed all evidence from the floor and replaced the rug.

She put everything else away, changed and climbed into bed, a small smile on her face as she thought about the shock that Jasper would experience when he couldn't touch her. She wasn't sure just how the protection would manifest, but she had faith that it would, and that's all that mattered at the moment.

With that last fleeting thought, her eyes slid shut and she fell into dreams of hazel eyes and the memory of a heart racing kiss.

* * *

~o0o~

Bella was struggling with pinning a hat to her hair, trying to get ready for Peter to come by for their latest date. He was driving her out to a lake for a picnic and she was running late. It had been a month to the day since their first kiss and things were going well for them. Beyond well. They had shared many stolen kisses and chaste little touches, but it seemed that no matter how chaste the touch, it never failed to speed her heart or make her body long for more.

She smiled softly to herself as her fingers continued to fumble with the hat, her eyes unfocused as she reminisced with a barely audible sigh

To be completely honest, she was head over heels in love with him now and she was pretty sure he felt the same for her, although neither had said the words… yet. She'd been tempted to though, a few times now, but there was still that little part of her that was afraid. Afraid of being hurt again, afraid of being abandoned, and so she held her feelings close to her heart, just waiting for the right time.

She sighed and focused back on her task, her frustration building the more she struggled with the hat, when Mrs. Cuthbert approached her where she stood at the mirror, slapping her hands away good-naturedly as she finished the job.

Both of them froze however, at the unmistakable sound of gunshots ringing out somewhere close by, Bella's heart tripping in instant terror as her thoughts immediately went to Peter and his dangerous job as a Ranger.

She took off for the door, Mrs. Cuthbert hot on her heels. "Miss Isabella! You can't go out there child! There's shootin' goin' on!"

Bella tried to shake off the woman's restraining hand. "I have to! Peter's out there! What if it's him that gets hurt?!"

She finally managed to yank her arm out of the woman's grip and ran out the front door, turning left toward the sound of more shots that sounded like they were coming from somewhere close to the bank.

Her mind raced. She knew that if the bank was being robbed, Peter and Ray would be in the middle of it and tears of worry traced down her cheeks unnoticed by her as she ran.

When she was close, a man grabbed her and pulled her inside a storefront as she struggled to free herself. "Miss, please! You can't go back out there! There's men robbin' the bank and shootin' up the place!"

She pulled and struggled. "Please! I have to get to him! I have to see if he's all right!"

"Who Miss?"

"Ranger Whitlock!"

The man shook his head. "No Miss, he's doin' his job and you'll just distract him right now and maybe get yourself killed in the process. I have a daughter about your age and I'd want someone to keep her safe. Now get down and stay down. I can't let ya go 'till the shootin' stops at least. Settle down girl and let him do his job."

She slumped to the floor, tears overtaking her as she listened to the continued gunfire.

Just moments later, everything ceased, an eerie quiet hanging over the place that was broken suddenly by the sound of a voice calling out for the Doctor… A voice that was familiar to her, one that filled her with dread as she struggled up and raced out the door.

She lifted her skirts and ran down the middle of the street, spotting Ray standing just outside the bank, waiting on the Doctor. "Ray! Ray, where is he?! Where's Peter?!"

He caught her and held her upper arms, trying to get her to calm down. "Miss Isabella, ya need to calm down now."

She twisted and pulled but couldn't get free. "You need to tell me what happened Ray, please! What happened?!"

"He's been shot," She gasped and turned her face toward the door of the bank. He caught her gaze again before speaking. "Listen now! I don't think it's too awfully bad."

She choked on a sob. "Oh god Ray, let me go to him! I have to see him!"

He shook his head. "I don't reckon he'd want ya goin' in there just yet Miss. There's dead men in there and it ain't nothin' a lady should be seein'. I'll move him out as soon as the Doc says it's oaky and then you can see him."

Anger filled her and she met his gaze, her look fierce. "Ray, I respect you as his partner, but if you don't let me go now, I'm gonna hurt you…I'm not sure how, but I will… and then I'm gonna go to him anyway. I really don't give a damn about any dead bodies. I need to see him!"

He sighed and hung his head, peering up at her with a grimace as he let her go. "He's gonna have my hide for this…"

She didn't stick around to hear the rest, running into the door as soon as she was free. Her gaze traveled around the inside of the bank, shock filling her at the destruction of the place and the sight of none other than Mr. O'Hanlon, her fellow boarder, lying dead, slumped against a wall across the room.

Her stomach lurched at the sight of all the blood and bodies, and she looked away, doing her best to pull herself together. She had to focus on what was important; finding Pete.

"Peter! Where are you?!"

Hearing a shuffling noise and a grunt of pain from behind the counter, she rushed over, stepping over the body of what looked to be another bad guy as she made her way through to the back.

She finally saw him laid out on the floor, his eyes squeezed shut in pain as he tried to sit up, his left shoulder bloody.

"Oh Pete!" Ripping off a strip of material from the bottom of her dress, she fell to her knees next to him and placed a hand in the center of his chest, struggling against her aversion to all the blood that soaked his shoulder and upper arm. She placed the wadded up dress material against the wound and pressed gently but firmly and he gasped and groaned.

Her voice shook as she spoke to him, her hand smoothing the hair away from his ashen face. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

He opened his eyes as he tried to smile. "No sugar. Just my shoulder."

Fresh tears filled her eyes and she leaned down, placing a soft kiss to his lips. Drawing back to meet those beautiful but pain-filled hazel eyes again, she knew she couldn't hold back any more. She'd almost lost him and he never would have known…

"I love you Peter Whitlock, more than anyone in this world. More than this life, I love you."

He slowly reached up and cupped her cheek with his good hand. " Darlin', you can't even imagine how happy you've just made me."

His moved his hand away from her face with a grunt of pain as he reached into his right pocket, drawing out a small box which he handed to her. "Been carryin' that around for two weeks now, tryin' to work up the gumption to tell you how I feel and to ask you. I had finally decided to do it at the picnic today, but I don't reckon we'll be makin' it there now."

The tears kept coming as she stared at him, shaking her head as her hand cupped his cheek. "No... no picnics for you today I'd say." She smiled through her tears and he returned it with a pained one.

"Miss Isabella, I love you with all of my heart. Would you grant me the supreme honor of becoming my wife?"

She laughed in joy through her tears as she leaned down and kissed him again, murmuring against his lips, "I would be honored to be your wife Ranger Whitlock."

He grinned, despite the pain, that gorgeous dimple showing in his cheek as his good hand pulled her into a kiss.

**Like I said, picking up the pace a bit. For those wondering, Jasper is still out there. We will be seeing him again. For any interested, you can find me on Facebook. I go by Laura Spudzmom. I post a lot there and I'm always willing to answer questions or discuss stories.**

**My heartfelt thanks to all who review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N: Hi all. Hope you enjoy the chapter. If you do, please review and let me know! My sincere thanks to all who do so. I appreciate hearing from you very much! There is a lemon in the chapter which will be marked out below. Happy reading! ~Spudz  
**

* * *

~o0o~

_Previously:_

_"Miss Isabella, I love you with all of my heart. Would you grant me the supreme honor of becoming my wife?"_

_She laughed in joy through her tears as she leaned down and kissed him again, murmuring against his lips, "I would be honored to be your wife Ranger Whitlock."_

* * *

**~o0o~**

The ceremony was a small one with only Pete's parents, Ray and his wife, and of course, Mrs. Cuthbert attending.

It was the first time Bella had seen Peter in anything other than denim and her heart picked up speed at the handsome figure he cut in a suit, even though she was going to mess up his slicked back hair the first chance she got.

They grinned at each other as she made her way down the short aisle of the tiny church, the sparkle in his eye and the dimple in his cheek convincing her that she had never seen a more gorgeous man in her life.

It had taken a couple of weeks to be able to do this. The Doctor had extracted the bullet from his shoulder which had been an ordeal that Bella hoped would never happen again. She had stayed with him the whole time as Ray and his father had held him down. It had been necessary in spite of the laudanum the doctor had given him, but to his credit, he hadn't screamed out at all. He was now pretty damned proud of that. He had even kept the blasted bullet as a souvenir, holding it up for Bella to see as she wiped sweat from his brow, a weak grin on his face just before he'd passed out.

A fever had set in shortly after that and she had spent every minute by his side, bathing him to cool him down and performing quiet healing chants and prayers to the goddess when they were alone and he was unconscious.

The fever had broken in two days and he had recovered quickly after that, becoming an impatient and sarcastic ass which Bella showed herself to be more than a match for.

He'd been shocked into silence a couple of times by her answers until he'd finally grinned and laughed, grimacing when the movements pained his healing shoulder, after which he'd pulled her to him, kissed her and told her how much he loved her.

Now here they were, finally facing each other at the altar in the town's tiny Baptist church.

Bella stared into those beautiful hazel eyes she loved so much and could barely comprehend the love she felt for him. It filled her very being sending her soul soaring with the joy of it even as her heart ached with the profundity.

She was barely aware of the pastor speaking but somehow she got through her vows and responses, finally hearing the words, "You may kiss your Bride."

Peter stepped forward and pulled her into his arms as he leaned down taking her lips in a sweet kiss before backing away with a grin. "You ready to get outta here Mrs. Whitlock?"

She smiled. "Like you wouldn't believe." He offered his arm and she took it carefully seeing as how it was his left.

They stepped down and were congratulated by Pete's parents first, his father shaking his hand. "Congratulations son. You're a good man and I'm so proud of ya. Remember what we talked about. Treat her right son."

Bella could have sworn Pete blushed and that made her wonder just what their talk had been about.

"I will Pa, and thank you."

Mr. Whitlock turned to Bella then and her breath caught when their eyes met. Something about him was nagging at her, like she knew him from another place or time, but she couldn't grasp it. Yes, she'd seen him when the doctor was removing the bullet from Pete's shoulder, but she hadn't really looked at him then, too caught up in the horror of the situation to see beyond Pete and his pain.

He took her free hand, kissing the back. "Welcome to the family Isabella."

She smiled. "Thank you Mr. Whitlock."

He placed an arm around his wife. "None of that now. You can call me Jim or Pa, whichever you prefer."

"Thank you, I will."

Mrs. Whitlock stepped forward, hugging her son tightly before turning to Bella to give her a light hug too. "Take care of my boy." she whispered.

"I will, I promise." Bella returned with a smile.

Ray approached next with his wife Helen, and shook Pete's hand heartily, a huge grin on his face. "'Bout time ya got hitched old man! Congratulations partner."

Pete laughed. "Old man? I'm only 23!"

"Yeah well, still, most men your age have a couple a' young 'uns by now. Ya got some catchin' up to do."

Bella felt the blood drain from her face as Pete slugged Ray in the arm, both of them laughing. "You just mind your business and I'll mind mine partner."

Mrs. Cuthbert stepped up and hugged Bella. "My best wishes to you on your marriage Miss Isabella. If you need anything, you be sure and let me know. Don't be a stranger. I'll be missin' you at the boardin' house."

Bella smiled warmly. "I'll be sure to visit."

Pete grabbed her hand then and looped her arm through his. "Well, it's time for me to take my wife home. Thank you all for comin' and for your good wishes."

Bella looked up at him with a smile as they left the church and he helped her into the waiting carriage that had been a gift from the whole town for Pete's bravery in thwarting the robbery.

Pete glanced at her with a grin as the carriage moved forward. "I can hardly believe you're mine. You've made me so happy Isabella."

She leaned into his side, her hand running over the fine fabric of his suit sleeve as she smiled softly. "I love you Peter. More than I have ever loved anyone before." She looked up, meeting his gaze. "It scares me at times, you know? What would I do if I ever lost you? How could I possibly go on?"

He took her hand, placing a gentle kiss to the back as they stared at each other. "I swear to you now Bella, I'll always come back to you. I'll never let anything happen to where I can't get back to you."

She shook her head, looking away. "You can't make such a promise. Things happen Pete and we're only human…"

He tugged her hand, his look earnest as she met his gaze once again.

"No Bella, I'll always get back to you, no matter what. I won't get killed. I refuse to let that happen. Don't be afraid and don't worry. We're gonna grow old together and watch our children grow up and have little ones of their own, just you wait and see." He kissed her hand again as he looked into her eyes. "I promise you Bella. I'll always come back to you. I promise."

She leaned up and kissed his lips softly as the carriage rolled to a stop in front of Pete's house. "I'm going to hold you to that Peter Whitlock and I want you to know that I'll be very angry if you break that promise."

He grinned, kissed her again and hopped down from the carriage. "That will never happen Mrs. Whitlock. I never break a promise."

She climbed down with his help and he swept her into his arms as the stable hand drove the carriage to the back. "Peter! Your shoulder! Put me down before you hurt yourself!"

He pulled her closer, kissing her breathless before whispering against her lips. "Hush wife. I'm fine."

He climbed the steps and opened the front door as she protested. "If that shoulder starts bleeding again…"

Her voice trailed off as he carried her in and she got her first look at the inside. It was nothing like she expected a single man's home to be. It was comfortable and homey, the furniture looking new and quite expensive.

He smiled as he set her on her feet. "Welcome home Mrs. Whitlock."

She pressed herself against him, pulling him down into a kiss, their passions igniting as they made love to each other with lips and tongues.

Breaking the kiss she murmured out "The house is wonderful husband, but I'm more interested in you at the moment."

He grinned. "Yeah?"

"Yes, I'd be very happy if you showed me the bedroom now."

She smirked as he swallowed thickly. "Okay then."

He took her hand and led her down a hallway, finally stopping in front of the very last door which he opened as he stood aside. "This is it."

She walked in and tugged his hand, urging him to follow. "It's beautiful Pete." She turned to him, cupping his cheek. "I love it."

He gestured to a door across the room. "There's the washroom if you want to, uh, get ready for bed and I'll just wait here I reckon. There's a clothes press in there for you. My mother and Mrs. Cuthbert saw to your things early this morning, so you should have everything you need."

Bella caressed his cheek for a moment, smiling at his obvious case of nerves as she dropped her hand. "That was very kind of them. I'll have to remember to thank them later." She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I'll be back in a bit."

He nodded and she left the room to change. When the door closed behind her he ran a hand through his hair as he blew out a breath, speaking quietly to himself as he removed his suit coat. "Damn Pete, pull yourself together…"

Bella's voice startled him as he undressed down to his skivvies.

"Did you say something Peter?"

He peeled back the covers and jumped in, pulling them over his lap as he answered. "Uh, no, just mumbling was all."

She opened the door and walked out, wearing a light robe, her hands wringing together nervously as she peeked up at him.

Flipping back the covers on the other side of the bed, he looked back at her and cleared his throat nervously. "Care to join me?"

"Yeah, sure" she said as she climbed onto the bed where she knelt next to him.

"I've never…" she met his eyes. "I mean, well…"

He took her hand and kissed it. "I haven't either. I mean, I have a basic idea and my Pa talked to me some yesterday…" he spoke quietly, a light blush staining his cheeks. "…but that's it as far as experience goes." His gaze locked with hers as he gently squeezed her hand. "I'll try to do my best by you though. I'll try not to hurt you too badly, but I know it'll hurt and for that I'm regretful. I understand that women don't generally like their wifely duties, so I'll try to make it quick…"

Her head snapped up from where she'd been staring into her lap. "What? No! That's not true!"

His brow pinched in confusion and she thought about what she'd just said. "Well, at least I don't think it's true… not that I would really know or anything… I mean, I've heard it can be pleasurable… for the woman…"

She trailed off with a slight shrug as she realized that her modern views of sex were showing at a most inopportune time, and he still looked baffled as he studied her blushing face.

"You've heard? From whom exactly?" Now he looked worried and Bella's mind raced to come up with a plausible answer.

"Well…" Her hands twisted together in her lap. "…uh, m…my mother used to talk to me about these things when I was growing up, you know, to prepare me for married life…"

His eyes widened. "She talked about such things with a child? And why didn't you tell me that you were regainin' your memories? What all do you remember?"

Bella's stomach dropped when she realized the hole she'd dug for herself in this situation and she struggled for something to say that wouldn't worsen things. "I really only remember little bits and pieces here and there from when I was growing up, just small glimpses…"

"Do you remember where you're from? Perhaps we can locate your family…"

She grabbed his hand, meeting his eyes. "No Peter. I don't remember and I've no wish to try. You're my life now and I love you. I'm your wife and the past can stay in the past for all I care." She placed a hand on his cheek. "Please, this is our day. We're married and we should be focusing on us today… please?"

He studied her for a moment, still looking very concerned before finally answering. "All right. We'll forget about it for now, but we need to talk about this Isabella. I get the feelin' that there's a lot you're not tellin' me."

Relief flooded her as she leaned forward and kissed him, drawing back to look in his eyes as she spoke. "There's nothing important about my memories. You're all that matters to me now."

She kissed him again, and they lost themselves to it as he pulled her body flush to his, rolling to lay her beneath him on the bed, his hand traveling slowly up her trim waist until he caressed the side of her breast.

She gasped against his lips as pleasure shot through her at his touch in such a sensitive place, but she wanted, no, she needed more, and so she placed her hand over his, guiding him to cover her breast fully.

He broke the kiss with a groan, staring into her eyes as he moved his hand against the softness of her, marveling at the feeling and the hardened peak he could feel in the center of his palm as he gently squeezed, drawing a soft moan from her as she arched into his touch.

"You're so soft, so beautiful…" he whispered reverently and she smiled as she reached for the string that held the robe together in the front, pulling it and baring herself to his sight.

He looked startled for a moment and she smiled softly at him, her hand cupping his cheek. "Touch me Peter. Love me. I'm all yours."

**~Lemon Alert~**

* * *

~o0o~

He looked down at her exposed body, something like wonder in his eyes as his hand moved the robe off of her body fully, his fingers tracing lightly beneath her breasts, down her abdomen and to her center where he stopped as he glanced back up at her. "May I?"

Opening her legs just a bit, she nodded, whispering out, "Yes."

She watched him as he looked back down, softly tracing her folds before parting them with a single finger, drawing a low moan from her when he breached her body, his finger sliding into her slick heat gently as her hips tipped up against his hand, seeking, needing.

"More Peter, please…"

He looked up at her, startled when she reached down and placed his thumb on her clit, showing him how to rub softly before removing her hands with a soft sigh. "Yes, just like that… don't stop."

She ran her hands over her rib cage and over her breasts, writhing a bit at the feeling of what he was doing now that he had the hang of it, his name leaving her lips on a moan as she felt her orgasm building.

She reached for his face and drew him into a kiss and he met her with passion, his breathing heavy with it as they nipped and sucked at lips and tongues.

She broke the kiss and met his eyes as she caressed her breast with her fingertips, whispering to him, "Kiss me here Peter", as she circled the nipple with her index finger. "Please?"

He nodded and started to withdraw his hand from her center, but froze at her next words. "No! No, please don't stop… I'm almost there."

He looked a bit confused but kept going as he nuzzled against her breast, drawing a louder moan from her as he sucked in her nipple.

"Oh god yes!" she whispered, her center rocking against his hand as she buried her hands in his hair.

"So close… yes, so close… oh… oh… Peter!"

She arched up as she orgasmed, closing her legs to still his hand as she enjoyed the pulsing waves of pleasure that moved through her, a smile of satisfaction curving her lips as he removed his hand and looked at her, curiosity in his eyes.

"Hmmm" she stretched and turned her head on the pillow, lazily opening her eyes to look at him with a smile. "That was wonderful, thank you."

He smiled tentatively. "You really enjoyed that?"

She chuckled and grabbed his hand, drawing him down to lay beside her as she kissed his lips, her answer spoken softly. "Yes, I enjoyed it very much."

Her hand traveled down his chest and she followed its path with her mouth, placing kisses as she tugged at his skivvies. "Are you going to take these off husband?" She mumbled out against his skin as she bit lightly at his nipple, drawing a groan from him as he tilted his head back. "Lord have mercy, wife, what are you doing to me?"

She ran her hand around his hip and over his hardness, stroking firmly as his breath caught, his eyes wide as he looked at her. "What… what are you doing?"

She grinned as she heard the strain in his voice, sucking in his bottom lip before answering between kisses. "I am touching my husband." She drew back. "Do you want me to stop?"

He reached down, stilling her slowly stroking hand with his own. "I'm afraid if you don't, this might be over before it begins."

Giving him a small, sheepish smile and a nod she slipped out of her robe, tossing it over the end of the bed as she laid back against the pillows.

She watched as he finished undressing, reaching out to him as he moved to cover her body with his own, her heart speeding up as her nerves kicked in.

This was it, and she had to admit to being a bit scared of the pain she knew was coming. He wasn't little by any means, and while she knew that would be a wonderful thing in the coming years, today it was probably going to be a bit of hell on earth.

She saw him wince as he supported his weight over her. "Are you going to be all right?" She kissed his shoulder and met his eyes as he settled himself, kissing her as he cradled her head in his hands. "Yes wife, I'm fine. It's just a bit tender is all."

She studied his face for a moment before giving a nod. "All right, but promise me you'll say something if it get's to be too much? You don't have to be the tough Texas Ranger with me you know."

He grinned and kissed her. "Yes I do. I aim to keep you happy."

She held his face, her look serious. "I am happy, with you, and not because you're a Ranger. I'll always love you no matter what Peter Whitlock, you hear me? No matter what."

He stared into her eyes, all mirth gone as he gave her a slow nod. "I hear you, and I'll always love you too Isabella Whitlock, no matter what."

Her eyes filled with tears and she smiled as she wrapped her legs around his hips, whispering out, "Then love me husband. Love me now."

He kissed her then as he lined up and entered her, whispering out apologies against her lips as she cried out, tears of pain tracing a path down into her hair as her body finally yielded to his.

He gasped and groaned as he finally seated himself within her fully. "Heaven… good lord, being inside you is a little piece of heaven."

He drew back, looking at her as he dried her tears with his thumbs. "You all right sugar?"

She blinked up at him, doing her best to stifle her tears. "I will be." Her voice trembled as she spoke. "The worst of it is over I think."

He kissed her, softly sucking and nipping at her lips between words as he did his best to stay still, letting her adjust. "I'm sorry baby doll… so sorry for hurting you…"

She wrapped her arms around him, marveling at the feel of his solid muscles under her hands as she whispered to him. "I'm okay now."

With that, he drew his hips back and began thrusting slowly, his face tucked between her neck and shoulder, completely missing her closed eyes and pained expression as she bit her lip to remain quiet through the pain.

"Oh Isabella", he gasped as he picked up speed, holding her close against him. "You feel so damn good…"

Three more thrusts later and he froze, groaning against her neck as he filled her.

**~End Lemon~**

**~o0o~**

* * *

He moved to lay beside her and she immediately curled up against him, doing her best not to cry. She knew if she did, he would hate himself for it and probably be reluctant to do this again any time soon. Not that she'd be suggesting it for a few days to come, she thought, chuckling mentally through her residual pain. However, she knew that she would be all about getting more of that when she was over the soreness from losing her V-card and she'd be damned if she wanted to have to beg for it.

She smiled as he pulled her close. "How are you feelin' sugar?"

"I could use a good soak in a hot bath, but I'll be fine."

Kissing his chest, she eyed his still-healing wound. "How's your shoulder?"

"It's fine baby doll, I keep tellin' you. No need to keep worryin' over it."

Her fingers traced over his taut abs, the muscles tensing and relaxing under her touch. "I'll worry if I want to husband."

He rolled to his side and pulled her close, his lips caressing hers in a languid kiss. He met her eyes, running his fingers through her hair. "I just can't seem to get enough of you."

"Pete, I won't be able to do that again for a couple of days, at least…"

"Shhh", he soothed as he kissed her head. "I didn't mean it like that darlin'. I meant just bein' close to you, holdin' you… that's what I meant." He glanced down at her, meeting her eyes. "I know I hurt you and I know it's gonna take a few days for you to feel right again. I'll wait until you say you're ready. I would never force you Isabella."

Leaning up, she gave him a soft kiss. "You're such a fine man Peter Whitlock and I'm so happy you're mine." She smiled and moved out of his arms, getting out of the bed and donning the discarded robe.

"Where ya goin' sugar?"

She felt a blush heat her cheeks as she turned to face him. "Well, I need to answer nature's call…"

He relaxed back on the bed. "Ah, right. Well, seein' as how the crew I hired hasn't finished installin' all the new-fangled stuff in the wash-room yet, those facilities are still out back." He looked apologetic. "I wanted it all done in time for the weddin' but they just couldn't get to it all. I'm sorry Darlin'."

"It's quite all right Peter," she said with a small smile. "I'll be back in just a bit and then I think a bath is in order."

He sat up, running a hand through his hair. "Now that they did finish. I'll start it for you while you're out."

Rising from the bed, he grabbed his skivvies and slipped back into them as she turned and left the room, heading toward the kitchen and the back door.

Closing the door behind herself, she was delighted to see a stone path that wound away from the main house and to a small structure in the distance.

Eyeing the structure with a sigh, her thoughts wandered to all the modern conveniences that she missed, like flush toilets for instance and disposable feminine products. Washing those out had been a terrible experience and she didn't look forward to the monthly chore. Suffering the period was bad enough as it was…

So lost in thought was she, that she didn't realize she wasn't alone until the sound of an arrogant Texas drawl had her freezing in her tracks, her head whipping toward a thick hedge that edged the property.

"Well, well, if it ain't the delicious smelling human I've been savin' for a special occasion." His red eyes pierced her and her heart took off in terror, one whispered word leaving her lips as she trembled.

"Jasper."

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Lemon toward the end of the chapter. **

* * *

**~o0o~**

_**Previously:**_

_"Well, well, if it ain't the delicious smelling human I've been savin' for a special occasion." His red eyes pierced her and her heart took off in terror, one whispered word leaving her lips as she trembled._

_"Jasper."_

* * *

~o0o~

She watched as he took in a deep breath, letting it out with a low growl as his eyes darkened perceptibly.

"Looks like I'm a bit too late to enjoy all the spoils, ain't I darlin'? I can smell your virgin blood and the seed of another man. Am I intrudin' on a weddin' day, or are your morals that loose?"

Her anger spiked, despite her fear and he chuckled darkly as she faced him squarely. "Go to Hell, asshole."

He grinned wickedly, drawing a shudder from her. "I already live there darlin'. Hell follows me where ever I go."

He moved just a bit closer, his head tilting slightly to one side as he studied her. "Now, how about you share with me just how it is that you know my name, 'cause I gotta admit sugar, ya got me curious."

She stared him down. "We've met."

He chuckled, but there was nothing even close to mirth in his cold gaze. "No, we have not."

She smirked at him, a decidedly stupid thing to do, she could fully admit, but he just pissed her off too badly to resist having something over on him. "Just shows that you don't know everything doesn't it vampire?"

He rushed her, and she gasped in fright, but when he reached to grab her throat, he drew his hand back with a curse when he encountered some sort of force around her that shocked the hell out of him.

"Shit!" He stared at her in shock and anger. "What the fuck was that?"

She looked back at him, her hands clutched together over her chest as she struggled to calm her racing heart. "Why should I give you any answers? You've been nothing but an asshole to me…"

He growled. "Because I'll kill you if you don't!"

She stood her ground, her chin at a defiant angle. "Really? How you gonna do that if you can't touch me?"

He growled and reached for her again, this time gritting his teeth as he held his hand against the field that was sending an agonizing current through his entire body.

Bella trembled, tears now streaming down her face as she watched.

Finally releasing a pained gasp, he dropped to his knees and held his aching hand to his chest, eventually looking up at her. "At least tell me the name of the one being on this earth that I can't seem to defeat."

She backed away, weak with fear and adrenaline as she answered. "It's Isabella. Isabella Swan-Whitlock."

He stood and she backed off another step, watching him closely. He looked shocked.

"What did you say your surname is?"

Her voice really shook now as fright for Peter's safety filled her. "Swan."

He shook his head. "No, that wasn't all you said. Now repeat it."

"Swan-Whitlock, as of today, but you leave him the hell alone. Please, just leave us alone! I'll beg if I have to, just please…"

She choked on a sob and he smirked at her. "So, ya got a weak spot after all. Good to know. Question is, would ya sacrifice yourself to save him little girl? Is he worth that to ya?"

She fell to her knees, her body wracked with sobs as she stared up at him. "Yes! I would! Just leave him alone, I beg you!"

He sneered down at her. "Then quit protecting yourself and allow me to touch you."

Despair filled her as she shook her head. "I honestly don't know how to stop it. There's nothing I can do to get rid of the protection, you have to believe me! Please!"

He snarled. "Oh I believe ya. I can feel when someone is lyin' to me and you are not. Still, that doesn't change the fact that I didn't get what I want. You see, I always get what I want little girl and I wanted you. I was gonna change ya and maybe keep ya for myself, but now I can't do that. That's all right though. I'll figure somethin' out. I have never been defeated and I ain't about to start now."

With that, he vanished into the surrounding trees and she collapsed on the pathway in despair. She just knew, could feel in her heart that he wasn't done with her yet and the fear from that surety consumed her as she lay, curled on her side, hands over her face, trying desperately to regain control. She had to. There was just no way she could face Peter in the state she was in because she would have to give him a reason and she just couldn't share this with him.

She rose from the ground, her whole body shaking like a leaf as she made her way to the privy since she still had that problem to take care of.

She'd just come back out of it when Peter opened the back door. "Isabella? Are you all right sugar? It's been a while. Are you sick?"

She shook her head and tried to dry her eyes as she drew closer to him but he saw her distress clearly and rushed to her. "Bella, what's wrong? What is it? Did I hurt you that bad? I'm so sorry…"

She shook her head again and choked on a sob that she just couldn't stifle as he picked her up, holding her close as he carried her back to their bedroom. "Please Bella, tell me what's wrong? Should I fetch the Doctor?"

She shook her head where it lay against his chest, her voice thick with tears as she spoke. "No, just hold me please. Just hold me."

He scooted all the way back on the bed, leaning against the pillows as he held her in his arms, his fingers running through her hair.

Eventually her crying subsided, although her body still shook, and he spoke quietly. "Sugar, please tell me what is wrong? You really got me worried Darlin'. Please speak to me."

She knew he was feeling terrible by the tortured tone of his voice, so she tried to reassure him without revealing too much. "It was nothing you did Peter. You didn't hurt me. I mean, there was pain, but nothing lasting, so please don't worry."

He drew her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Don't worry? How can you say that when I find you this way? Something bad must have happened sugar, and you're refusing to tell me. Now why is that? Don't you trust me?"

She began to cry again and she clung to his shirt. "Please Peter, I can't explain why I'm upset. Just know that I'll be fine in a little while. No one touched me. No one hurt me." She looked up at him. "Did you draw that bath after all?"

She wasn't sure how he managed to look hurt, angry and worried all at the same time, but he did as he studied her for a moment before answering. "I did. It's ready for you. I just hope it hasn't cooled too much."

She nodded. "Thank you. I'm sure it will be fine."

Moving off of his lap and then the bed, she entered the wash-room and stripped out of the soiled robe, stepping over into the tub and easing down into the water with a shuddering sigh.

She sat there staring at the wall in front of her for a few minutes, just trying to come to grips with her situation. Part of her wanted to rage and kick and scream at the hopelessness she felt but a bigger part of her was filled with dread and terror. She knew Jasper wasn't about to give up. He would be back; perhaps not tomorrow or next week or next month, but he would be back and when he came, just as he said, he would be bringing hell with him.

Grabbing the soap and a cloth, she began thinking over possible solutions to this cluster fuck she now found herself in as she bathed.

One option would be to perform a ritual of protection on Peter, but she dismissed it quickly, just as she had after the first time she'd seen Jasper and for the same reasons; the ritual had to be performed with the person's knowledge and consent and there was no way Peter and his archaic mentality would accept it. At worst, she'd lose him and find herself tied to a stake, being consumed by flames and at best, he would want to know why she was asking him to do such a thing and what was she to tell him? After all, the damn language of the ritual includes the word 'vampire'. Again, a straight jacket and a burning pyre flashed through her mind. No, performing the ritual on her husband just wasn't possible.

Dunking herself completely under water, she came back up and began washing her hair.

She could definitely perform a ritual on the house. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about Jasper walking in whenever he felt the urge and Peter would be safe as long as he was home. She'd even be sure to include the damn outhouse.

If she was careful, she could even protect the Ranger's office. She'd just have to do it without being seen.

She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling, rage and despair warring for dominance within her.

No matter what she did, the man she loved above everyone and everything would still be vulnerable for a large portion of the day, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She sighed and dunked again, rinsing the soap from her hair, her jaw clenched in anger.

One thing she did know. If that cocky bastard of a vampire managed to do something to her husband, she vowed to do whatever it took to take him out one of these days. She didn't care if she had to hunt down Carlisle and beg him to change her or go to the Volturi in Italy and hope they changed her instead of killing her; whatever it took, she would do it.

Pulling the plug, she rose from the rapidly cooling water and grabbed a drying linen, wrapping it around her body before squeezing the excess water from her hair into the draining tub.

She stepped out onto a rug feeling much better than when she'd first come in here. At least the shaking had subsided. Now she just had to quell the anger that boiled just under the surface. It wouldn't be fair to Pete to be short with him, especially when she was sure he was probably still upset over her non-answers as to her upset.

Sighing as she finished drying and dressing, she wondered just how she was going to handle his questions for she was pretty certain that he was just biding his time while she got herself together before renewing his efforts to get the truth from her.

Trouble was, she had no idea what to say to him that she hadn't said already. She certainly couldn't tell him the truth and even if she told him that she'd been accosted by a man, she knew that he'd be on high alert and that would put him in even more danger.

Now running a brush through her damp hair as she stared into a mirror, she realized that she was well and truly damned if she did and damned if she didn't in this, and it was all the fault of one vampire; Jasper.

A knock at the door had her snapping out of her semi-trance and she cleared her throat, calling out, "Yes?"

She smiled softly as she heard him answer. "I was just checkin' on you darlin'. You've been in there a while… are you all right?"

Instead of calling through the door, she walked to it and opened it, smiling up at him. "I'm fine Peter."

Still looking concerned and not at all convinced, he nodded once. "My mother brought us supper while you were bathing. It's on the kitchen table. Are you hungry?"

She placed the hairbrush back on the vanity and joined him with a smile. "I am actually. Let's eat."

It was a very quiet meal and Bella hated that they weren't really speaking, especially since Peter was usually very chipper during meals, or at least he had been during the meals they'd shared since he began courting her.

She knew it was her fault; that he was hurt because she wouldn't confide in him, and she didn't know what to do to fix it, but she knew she had to try.

"Your mother made this?" She gestured to the meal and he nodded, looking back down as he continued eating silently.

She watched him for a moment and tried again. "It's very good. I'll have to thank her when I see her next."

He glanced up at her, gave her a wan smile and a nod and went back to eating, drawing a sigh from her as she picked at her food. "Peter, please talk to me?"

He looked up, his gaze now piercing. "All right Isabella. What happened out there?"

She looked away for a moment, deciding to tell him something as close to the truth as she could get.

"I was… confronted, I guess you could say, by a man." She met his eyes. "He did not hurt me or even touch me, but he threatened to hurt you."

"Isabella, I deal with those sorts of things on a weekly basis…" He looked away, the muscles in his jaw tense as he worked to control his anger. "…but for someone to come on my property and threaten my wife?" He looked back at her again. "What did he look like?"

She was out of her seat in seconds, kneeling beside his chair as she took his hands, the expression on her face pleading. "Peter, please leave this alone. I obviously overreacted and we'll probably never see him again. He was probably drunk or something and thought it would be fun to taunt the Ranger's new wife. It was nothing, really."

"It's something to me Bella, and I aim to find him and deal with this!"

She leaned her forehead against his hands that she still held tightly. "Peter, please let this go?" She looked up into his eyes. "It's still our wedding day… Let's not let this low life ruin it, please? I'm sorry for overreacting, but to hear someone threaten you so casually so soon after you being shot…" She leaned her head back down, praying that he would let it go.

He was quiet for a moment and she felt him run a hand through her hair gently. "What did he look like Bella? I need to know."

His tone was low and gentle, but the words he spoke cut through her because she knew that she would now have to lie to him again, and she hated it.

"He was wearing a large hat, pulled low over his face. I couldn't even really tell you his hair color. He was dressed like any other ruffian in town and he really didn't have any marks that I could see that would distinguish him from a hundred other people." She met Peter's eyes. "He wasn't around long enough for me to tell you anything remarkable about him. I'm sorry."

"Would you recognize him if you saw him again?"

She looked away with a slight shake of her head as she answered. "The hat shaded his face, so probably not."

He pushed his chair back and reached down, pulling her into his lap where he held her to him tightly. "Lord, how I wish I had checked on you sooner… I could'a caught the scum." He tucked his face into the crook of her neck. "I've never wanted to hunt a man down and kill him before, but god help me, I want to now."

She ran her fingers through his sandy blond hair as she shook her head. "Please let this go Pete. I can't stand the thought of something happening to you. It would kill me."

Meeting her gaze, he cupped her cheek in his hand, his thumb rubbing gently. "I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I? It's not as though I can question every man in town, and you can't describe him. Unless he comes back around, there's nothin' I can do. One thing I do know; I'll be keeping a better eye on you. I should'a known that some of the low-lifes in this town would see you as a target now that you're my wife…"

Shaking her head, she took his face in her hands. "Don't go blaming yourself for this. There was nothing you could do…"

His brow pinched. "Not so. I'm your husband, it's my responsibility to protect you, take care of you…"

A bit of anger welled inside her and she stood from his lap and faced him. "Really? We have lives to live too Peter. What are you gonna do, escort me to the privy every time I need to go?" She shook her head. "I can understand you being upset, but don't be ridiculous!"

He stood and faced her. "Ridiculous? Look at what happened today Bella! You were a mess when I found you! You couldn't stop shakin' and cryin' and now you're tellin' me I'm bein' ridiculous for wantin' to protect you from that happenin' again?

He turned and paced to the other side of the room, running a hand through his hair as he faced the wall, obviously trying to calm himself.

Bella's heart ached at having upset him so badly with her poor choice of words. She could see his point; she had been a mess, but that was due to facing a killer vampire which she certainly couldn't explain to him.

She walked to him, placing her arms around his waist while laying her head against his tense back. "Peter, I'm sorry. You're right, I was a mess and I love you for wanting to protect me from that happening again. I know that you're motivated by your love for me and I can't fault you for that, but we have to live too and we can't do that if you're stuck to me every moment of the day. You have a job to do and now I have a house to run…"

He sighed and turned in her arms, pulling her close and kissing her head. "I know sugar and I'm sorry for gettin' so upset."

She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss as her fingers played in the hair at the nape of his neck, a soft moan leaving her as he tightened his hold on her, his hands moving down to rest just above the swell of her ass.

He was becoming aroused, she could feel it and she felt her own body respond, the ache of need in her center prompting her to press herself into him as she sucked in his bottom lip which she nipped gently as she broke the kiss. "Take me to bed husband" she murmured quietly as she looked into his eyes.

"Yeah, it's been a long day hasn't it? I imagine you're tired." he said as he moved the hair away from her face with gentle fingers.

His brows inched up however, when she grinned. "No, I'm not tired yet. I want you to take me to bed because I want you again."

He now looked confused. "But you said…"

She placed two fingers over his lips as she smiled. "The first thing you should learn about living with a woman is that it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Now, take me to bed husband."

He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom and she kissed him as she slid from his hold to stand in front of him where she began to help him undress, placing kisses to his chest as she went.

Swirling her tongue around one hardened bud, she smiled against him as he buried his hands in her hair, a quiet groan escaping him as she sucked and nipped.

Reaching for the laces of her dress, he pulled one and began loosening them until it was open enough to push off her shoulders. When the dress was pooled on the floor around her, she glanced up and nearly laughed at the look on his face as he stared at her shift and corset. "Good lord, I never knew women wore so many layers. How do you stand it?"

She pressed against him, kissing his chest as she looked up at him, amusement shining in her eyes. "You want to have a discussion on women's fashions now husband?"

He leaned down and trailed warm, open-mouthed kisses down the side of her neck to the cleavage just above the shift and corset, drawing a moan from her as her head rolled back. "Well, you see my beautiful wife—" he mumbled against her skin, "—they're in my way of being inside you again." He grinned up at her as she felt the catches of the corset pop open. "That's okay though, 'cause I do believe I have figured it out."

She held his face and kissed him lightly, smiling against him as she whispered, "There are laces in the back."

The corset fell to the floor and he grinned wickedly, showcasing that dimple she loved so much. "I'll remember for next time."

She gasped and laughed as he abruptly lifted the shift over her head but when she looked back at him and saw the look on his face as he took in her form, all amusement left her.

Lifting her hand to his cheek, she caressed his skin softly as she met his gaze; a gaze that was filled with so much love and passion she found it hard to breathe.

"You're so beautiful Isabella," he said, his voice quiet, intense. "I can scarcely believe that you're mine."

"Peter, you fill my heart so completely, I ache with it at times. You're everything to me, and I'll love you until this world ends."

He kissed her then, pulling her flush against him as they opened to each other, their tongues meeting in a languid give and take as he backed her toward the bed.

When she felt the mattress on the backs of her legs, she turned him, and pushed him down on the bed as she broke the kiss. "Lie back."

Moving back on the bed, he laid back against the pillows, watching her as she joined him.

Kneeling next to him, she leaned down, placing light kisses on his lips as she straddled his body. She deepened the kiss when she felt his hands grip her hips and he groaned as she rocked her wet center against him.

He broke the kiss and stilled her hips, his brow furrowed as he met her eyes. "Bella, what are you doin' sugar?"

"I want to try something." She grinned and scooted back, taking him in hand as he grunted lightly in surprise.

Placing him at her entrance, she slowly eased herself down, taking him all the way in as he closed his eyes and gripped her hips.

She leaned down to him, giving him a slow kiss. "Is this all right?"

He blew out a breath. "It's more than all right darlin'."

Straightening up, she began to raise and lower herself on him, glad to realize that the pleasure, this time, outweighed any discomfort.

Soon, she lost herself to the rhythm, quickly learning what felt right and brought the most pleasure, her hips tilting and rolling as he began to thrust up to meet her.

She was delighted to feel a familiar tightening in her center and threw her head back as Pete caressed her breasts. "Oh yes, Peter, you feel amazing," she whispered with a moan.

He caught her as she fell toward him, the rhythmic grip of her inner muscles drawing him to his completion as he held her tightly.

Kissing her, he rolled them to their sides and pulled the covers over, smiling when he saw her eyes close as she curled up close to him. "Good night sugar," he whispered.

Closing his eyes, he relaxed back, a content smile curving his lips as he too surrendered to dreams.

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate. :-) Personally, I'm thankful for so many things, but one stands out this year; I'm thankful that I found the courage to finally write and post a story 9 months ago. I'm not a confident or outgoing person, so that was a big step for me. Thanks for reading, and love to you and yours.**

**Oh, almost forgot. There's a lemon down the page. /smile**

* * *

**~o0o~**

Bella strolled the boardwalk toward the boarding house, a small smile on her face as she nodded in greeting to those she passed. She was looking forward to her visit with Mrs. Cuthbert as it had been two weeks since she'd seen her last and to her surprise, she'd become quite close to the woman.

She'd come to rely heavily on her companionship, especially since her marriage as she was the only one she could go to for any sort of advice. Turns out, the woman was a well of information in the area of dealing with a husband and Bella felt she needed all the help she could get.

They'd been married for just over a month now and while she loved being married to Pete, they still had their difficulties, made even more complex by Bella having to hide certain details of her life and large portions of her true personality. It was beyond mentally tiring and, at times, down right overwhelming.

After their wedding day, she'd been frantic to get the house and Pete's office protected. None of it was fool-proof, but to Bella's thinking, something was much better than nothing in keeping her husband safe from a feral Jasper, so she'd done it the first chance she'd had.

_Jasper_

Just thinking the vampire's name made her angry and she clenched a fist at her side as she walked, wishing for all the world that she owned one of those nifty WW2 flame throwers because if she did, she would torch the fucker, gladly.

She had to admit that she was a bit shocked at the level of hate she felt for him, especially since she knew the future him wasn't all that bad… well, with the exception of him wanting to suck her dry like a 7/11 slurpee at her 18th birthday party. That, admittedly, had put a damper on the whole 'let's be friends' thing.

In this time though, there was no getting around the fact that he was a first-class bastard.

Her thoughts went back to when she had begged him to leave them alone and it had been plain that he'd enjoyed her desperation-her fear. She had seen it in his cold red gaze and the cocky smirk on his face…

She shuddered at the remembrance and quickened her pace, her stomach grumbling with hunger as her thoughts turned to what she'd be having for lunch at Mrs. Cuthbert's. The woman was a fantastic cook and she was starving since she'd kept breakfast very light this morning. She'd felt a bit queasy so she'd kept it to toast and tea.

Finally arriving, she climbed the few steps and knocked, smiling when Mrs. Cuthbert pulled the door open and greeted her. "Isabella! Come in child, come in!"

Bella stepped in, removing her gloves and hat as Mrs. Cuthbert shut the door. "Here dear, let me take those."

"Thank you Mrs. Cuthbert."

She set them on a table by the door and bustled into the dining room as she spoke. "Come on in and take a seat. I was just about to serve. You're right on time."

Bella glanced around the empty room as she seated herself. "No one else joining us today?"

Mrs. Cuthbert filled a glass with lemonade, setting it next to Bella as she answered. "No, just the two of us today sugar. I'm afraid all the boarders are out on business and the like."

Bella smiled as she took a sip from her glass. "That's just fine with me. I wasn't really in the mood for strangers today anyway."

Mrs. Cuthbert eyed her carefully as she poured her own glass full. "All right girl, talk. What's goin' on? Problems? Anything I can help with? Do I need to jerk a knot in that boy's tail?"

Bella chuckled and set her glass aside. "Nothing really specific. I really think it's me. I feel… off lately and everything upsets me. I even get emotional when he does sweet things; all weepy and girly." She glanced at Mrs. Cuthbert. "I'm just a bit of a mess lately, that's all. It really reminds me of that time of the month, except…"

Bella froze, her mouth dropping open as she stared down at the empty plate on the table. She'd been so worried about Jasper and what he might do and when, that she'd not given a thought to anything else… like her period, for instance.

Mrs. Cuthbert dipped her head down, catching Bella's gaze. "…except?"

Bella raised her head, meeting the woman's amused gaze. "Except, it's not that time of the month, and I haven't had a monthly since before the wedding."

Mrs. Cuthbert grinned widely. "Oh lordy, sounds like you're in a family way to me child!"

Bella blinked, a flat look on her face as the woman cackled in glee, complete with clapping hands as she bounced in her seat. "Good lands sugar, that man of your's doesn't waste any time, does he?"

Bella reached for her glass, taking a sip as the possibility sank into her consciousness slowly. She shouldn't be shocked really. She and Pete, since getting used to everything and actually figuring out what they were doing, had been going at it like bunnies.

And why not? -Bella defended herself against that annoyingly accusing voice in her head. The one that said she'd just hosed her life by getting pregnant. The voice that sounded shockingly like Renée.

He was hot, gorgeous, and now that he knew what the hell he was doing… holy hell, she just couldn't get enough of him… lack of birth control be damned.

Mrs. Cuthbert remained quiet. sipping her lemonade as she watched the myriad emotions play over Isabella's face. It was really a sight to see, and it seemed to her that Bella was almost having some sort of debate in her head. She had to stifle a laugh as Bella went from looking worried to having a defiant scowl, finally coming to settle on acceptance as she gave a tiny shrug and reached for her glass, taking a sip before meeting her gaze. "If I am, I am. Getting all upset isn't going to do me any good, now is it?"

"No child, it sure won't. 'Sides, babies are a blessin'. You should be happy, and just think of how happy that man of your's is gonna be when you tell him!"

Bella choked on a swallow of lemonade and Mrs. Cuthbert reached over, patting her on the back. "Mercy child, you're supposed to drink it, not breathe it."

Bella shot a glare at the smirking old woman as she finished up coughing into her napkin. "Has anyone told you that you have a bit of a mean streak?" She dabbed at her watering eyes as Mrs. Cuthbert grinned.

"Just a time or two sugar. Now, are ya ready to eat?"

"Sure, now that we have all the life altering realizations out of the way, why not?"

The rest of lunch had been pleasant and she'd left Mrs. Cuthbert's with a promise to return soon.

For now, she was on her way home to make dinner as cooking without modern methods took a bit longer. She'd always been a good cook, but it had taken some time to get the hang of it with cast iron cookware and a wood stove. Needless to say, Pete had suffered through the standard burnt offerings that most newlywed husbands experienced for a time and Bella had felt like a complete failure with shed tears and all. Thankfully, Pete had been a complete sweetheart, consoling her and choking down the food with a sheepish smile.

She smiled to herself at the memories. He was perfectly imperfect and she loved him more each day that passed.

Waving to a neighbor, she climbed the steps and entered the house, gasping in surprise as she was picked up and spun around by her husband, who kissed her nearly breathless in the next seconds before placing her back on her feet. "Hi Darlin'. Where've you been?"

"That was quite the welcome." She laughed as she removed her gloves and hat. "I had lunch at the boarding house with Mrs. Cuthbert. I hadn't been to see her in two weeks and she'd threatened to drag me to the boarding house if I didn't visit soon." She shrugged and placed her hat and gloves on the table by the door.

He pulled her close, softly kissing the skin just under her ear. "Well, good thing you went darlin'. I'd hate to have to throw Mrs. Cuthbert into the lock-up for stealin' my girl."

She chuckled and turned her head, capturing his lips in a heated kiss as she pressed herself against him, an aching need building within as their tongues and lips nipped and played. Breaking the kiss she murmured, "Pete, I want you…"

He nodded and reached for her hand, just beginning to turn for their bedroom when she tugged and shook her head, a fiery glint in her eyes. "No, right here, now."

She backed up and hopped up on the table by the door, knocking some things off in the process, though neither of them paid any attention.

Pete was mesmerized, watching as Bella slowly pulled her heavy shirts up, exposing her stocking clad legs to his heated gaze.

When they were hitched all the way up, she smirked and crooked a finger, beckoning him forward into a passionate kiss. "Are you just gonna stare cowboy, or are ya gonna get busy?"

He groaned and backed away a step, unfastening his pants as quickly as he could before moving forward with a grin. "Never let it be said I kept my lady waiting."

She giggled and kissed him as his hand ran up the inside of her thigh. He broke the kiss and cocked a brow at her, a wicked glint in his eye. "No knickers Mrs Whitlock?

She circled her arms around his neck, pulling him into a light kiss where she whispered against his soft, moist lips. "That's right husband. Now what are ya gonna do about it?"

~Lemon Alert~

Freeing himself from the confines of his pants, he circled his free arm around her and jerked her close with his hand against the small of her back. Lining up, he entered her without warning and she gasped in pleasure as her head fell back. "God above Peter Whitlock, but you feel good…"

He held her hips close with that hand on her lower back while leaning his other against the wall just behind her as he set up a brisk pace with his firm thrusts.

Bella leaned her upper body back, her hands braced on the table top and more items clattered to the floor as they both chased their peaks, her legs wrapped firmly around his hips.

She moaned and cried out as the pleasure built and he leaned forward and kissed her deeply. "Come on sugar, ya ready? Are ya ready for me?"

She bit her lip and moaned as she felt herself peaking. "Oh god, yes… yes!"

Four more powerful strokes later, Peter thrust as deeply as he could as he came with a guttural groan, the back of her dress clenched in his fist as he gasped and worked to catch his breath. Bella leaned against him, kissing his neck as he chuckled. "Hot damn, I need to come home in the middle of the day more often darlin'."

Bella cupped his cheek and kissed him sweetly. "You won't get any arguments from me."

**Reviews are my only bread and butter and I appreciate them greatly.**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

~o0o~

Bella sat, staring unseeingly at the open book on her lap as her thoughts wandered over the past ten months and how drastically her life had changed since her eighteenth birthday. Looking back now, it seemed like lifetimes ago.

She thought about her heartbreak over Edward leaving and shook her head at herself. The love she felt for her husband was so vast and soul deep, it made her realize what she had felt for Edward Cullen had been nothing more than infatuation. She'd been star struck by the first boy who'd ever shown an interest in her, not to mention all the mystery and thrill that surrounded him, and she felt a bit silly just thinking about it now.

A gentle nudge under the hand she had resting on her belly brought a smile to her face and her thoughts turned to Peter and how he'd reacted when she'd told him he was going to be a father.

She had waited another full month after her enlightening lunch with Mrs. Cuthbert, just to be sure. She hadn't wanted to get his hopes up if her missed period had been a coincidence and not a genuine pregnancy…

~o0o~

_It was Peter's day off and he was finally taking Bella to the lake for a picnic; the very one he'd wanted to take her to the day he'd been shot. It was a beautiful place and she'd loved it immediately and if it couldn't hold memories of his proposal, Bella decided, it could certainly hold memories of her telling him of his impending fatherhood._

_She held the basket as she watched him spread the blanket in the shade of a beautiful old oak when a thought occurred to her and she furrowed her brow. "Pete?"_

_"Yeah sugar?", he answered as he tossed a couple of broken branches out of the way._

_"You looked for ants before spreading the blanket didn't you?"_

_He straightened up and smirked at her. "Yes Ma'am, I sure did."_

_She sighed in relief and he chuckled as he walked over and took the basket. "Still not over that little ant attack darlin'?"_

_She shot him a dark look as she sat down on the blanket. "You could have warned me how mean and nasty Texas ants are, ya know."_

_He sat beside her and kissed her neck as he chuckled. "I don't think I've ever seen a woman move that fast before, and the dance ya did was down right interestin' too."_

_She scowled and smacked his shoulder, finally cracking a reluctant smile as she thought about the ridiculous sight she must have made that day, dancing around, trying desperately to get all the tiny red ants off her feet. "It's not funny Pete. They hurt."_

_She glanced at him and he was trying valiantly not to laugh but looking for all the world like he was about to lose the battle._

_Shoving him onto his back, she straddled his waist and smirked down at him as he finally laughed. He yelped in protest though when she grabbed his nipple through his shirt. "Ow! Okay sugar! I'm sorry! You're right darlin, it's not funny at all!"_

_She hung on for a few more seconds and he hissed and rubbed it when she let go. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stared down at him while he smirked, still rubbing his injury._

_"Poor baby—does it still hurt?", she mewled in mock sympathy._

_He nodded, his beautiful hazel eyes sparkling with amusement. "Yeah, but I know what would make it better."_

_She cocked a brow at him. "Is that so?"_

_"Yep. I think ya need to kiss it… or at least me." With that, he slipped a hand into her hair at the back of her head and pulled her down into a passionate kiss._

_She sucked and gently nipped at his bottom lip and he rolled her under him with a groan as he ground himself against her heated center._

_Moving his kisses to her neck, he leaned more of his weight on her and she tensed with a quiet gasp causing him to pull back and look at her in concern as he asked, "What is it sugar? Did I hurt ya?"_

_He moved off to the side and she shook her head with a smile and a caress of his cheek. "No Pete, you didn't hurt me. It's just… well, we need to be a bit more careful."_

_His brow pinched. "What's goin' on darlin? I get the feelin' there's somethin' you're not tellin' me."_

_She smiled, took his hand and placed it on her flat belly. "Peter Whitlock, you're gonna be a father."_

_"What…" His beautiful hazel eyes went wide and he stared down at his hand on her belly. He began moving it gently, lovingly… and she felt a lump rise in her throat as she watched tears fill his eyes. "A baby?" He looked back up at her and she smiled and nodded._

_He leaned down and kissed where she'd placed his hand, his voice choked with emotion as he spoke. "I love ya so much Isabella… some days I think I'm gonna wake up and this will all have been just a beautiful dream…"_

_She leaned up and kissed him softly. Pulling back enough to meet his eyes, she whispered as she cupped his face in her hands. "It's not a dream. I'm real and you're real and I'll love you until the end of time Peter Whitlock."_

_He smiled at her then; a smile that seemed to light up everything around them as he spoke in a voice filled with awe. "I'm gonna be a daddy..."_

~o0o~

Bella smiled at the memories as she felt her little one kick and roll gently within her.

They'd made love under that old oak tree after that, and it had been the sweetest kind of bliss Bella could ever recall feeling. It was always good—well, more like phenomenal—with Pete, but that time… that time had been something extra special and she would never forget it as long as she lived.

The sound of the front door opening and closing caught her attention and she called out, "I'm in here!" She looked over to the entrance of the parlor in time to see her gorgeous husband walk in as he ran a hand through his sandy blond hair. He leaned down and kissed her first and then down lower to kiss her belly, giving it a loving caress as he spoke, "Hello son. Ya treatin' ya mama right today?"

Bella laughed quietly as she ran her fingers through his hair. "So sure it's a boy?"

He straightened up. "Yes Ma'am, I am."

She grinned as the baby became very active. "How could you possibly know? It's a 50/50 chance!"

He gave her a smug look. "Ain't no chance to it sugar. I just know."

She shot him a skeptical look and he grinned. "Ya ready to go baby doll? We're supposed to meet my parents at 7:00."

She set her book aside and started to struggle out of the chair when he held out a hand to her with a tiny smirk on his face. "Need a little help there darlin'?"

He pulled her up and she shot him a dark look. "Laugh it up cowboy and I'll be sure to get my revenge later."

He pulled her as close as he could and kissed her neck as he chuckled. "Don't be like that sugar. Ya know I don't mean nothin' by it. You're just cute as a bug tryin' to get outta that chair is all."

She waddled off to get her shawl grumbling, "Yeah, a big, fat roly-poly."

He followed her, grinning. "A what?" He took the shawl from her and placed it around her shoulders and she sighed.

"A roly-poly—it's a little bug that rolls up into a ball."

He stood back, eyeing her and she punched him in the arm, giving him her best stink-eye. "Stop trying to picture it and let's go."

She had to smile though when he leaned down, talking to her belly again as he rubbed it. "Ya better be good in there son. Ya mama's gettin' awful cranky, so be smarter than your daddy and don't be addin' to it."

He stood up straight and she smirked at him. "She's not the problem. It's her father, who thinks he's funny that's the problem."

He patted her belly. "Don't pay no mind to ya mama son. She didn't mean to call ya a girl, she just don't know no better."

He offered his arm and Bella took it with a smile and a shake of her head as he settled his hat on his head. "Shall we go to dinner Mrs. Whitlock?"

"Lead on husband."

He guided her carefully down the steps outside and stopped at the carriage that had been pulled around by the stable hand. "Oh Pete, I'd really rather walk. It's a beautiful night and the fresh air feels amazing."

He eyed her with doubt. "Are ya sure darlin'? It's awfully close to your time…"

She looked up at him imploringly. "I have another month at least. I'll be fine."

He looked up the street toward the hotel restaurant, shaking his head slowly as he looked back at her, worry clear in his expression. "I don't know Isabella… I don't have a good feelin' about it…"

"Please Peter, the walk will do me good. You heard what the midwife said—exercise makes labor easier…"

He cut her off by holding up a hand, now looking a bit green. "Whoa darlin', that kinda talk is between you and the midwife."

She gave him a flat look and he blew out a breath. "All right sugar, if you're sure."

Smiling happily, she grabbed his arm. "I'm sure, now let's go since speed walking isn't a possibility for me now."

He turned and paid the stable hand to take the carriage back around and they began their walk. "Here darlin', switch sides with me. I'd feel better if you're not so close to the dark alleys."

She stopped and he moved to her other side as she looked at him quizzically. She kept her questions to herself however, as she took his arm again and they continued their walk.

"So sugar, have you thought of a name for our son?" He smiled and glanced down at her as she laughed.

"Well, I was thinking Anna—Anna Lynn," she looked up at him, "what do you think of that?" She smirked.

He patted her hand. "It's just lovely darlin' but I don't think our son would appreciate it." He glanced down at her with a raised brow. "Maybe somethin' a little more manly?"

She was just chuckling when Pete disappeared from her side as they passed one of those dark alleys he'd been worried about. It happened so quickly that her first reaction was confusion, until she heard a pained cry from him, and her heart took off in sheer terror as she called out to him, "Peter!"

As she moved hesitantly into the alley, it took her eyes a moment to adjust, but when they did she sobbed in fright and despair. "Noooo! Oh god, no please…"

Pete was pinned up against the wall of a building with a hand around his neck as he struggled feebly—the hand holding him belonging to a smirking, red-eyed Jasper.

"Please Jasper," she wailed. "I'm begging you—please let him go! I'll do anything…"

"No Isabella," Pete choked out. "Run sugar!"

Jasper shook his head slowly. "Aw, ain't that sweet?" He pinned Bella with his mocking gaze. "Ya know, I tried to come for a visit at that quaint little house y'all live in, but guess what? I couldn't get near it. Couldn't manage to get near the Ranger's office neither. Now," he drawled, "what do you suppose that's all about?" He kept his eyes on Bella and gave Pete a shove, drawing choking sounds from him. "That made me feel downright unwelcome, darlin'." She crumpled to the ground sobbing as she met the panicked, confused gaze of her husband before looking back at Jasper.

"I'm sorry Jasper, but I'm begging you to let him go. I'll go with you after my baby's born if that's what you want—I swear it. Just let him go!"

Jasper scoffed. "What good's that gonna do? I can't touch ya, remember?" He shook his head and looked at Pete who still struggled fruitlessly. "Nah darlin', I think he's an even trade for my frustration and trouble." He smirked cruelly. "Ya see? This way, neither one of us is gettin' what they want." Having said that, he tossed Pete over his shoulders and disappeared as the sorrowful wails of a heartbroken, grieving wife rent the stillness of the night.

**Your thoughts? Reviews are appreciated and are very motivating!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

~o0o~

The first three days after Pete's disappearance were sheer hell for Bella. Pete's parents had come looking for them when they hadn't shown up at the restaurant, and they'd found her where she'd crumpled in the alley, still sobbing and incoherent with grief.

They'd taken her home and the doctor had been summoned due to how distraught she'd been. After a dose of laudanum, she'd finally been able to share with them that Peter had been taken against his will by a man. She'd given a vague description; one she knew they'd never be able to match with any one person and she'd fallen into a fitful sleep after that, only to awaken a short time later as the shadow of terrible pain and terror filled her. Somehow, she just knew it was Pete's feelings she was sensing and she mourned all the more for it while, at the same time, a tiny seed of hope bloomed within her.

If she still felt him, then he was still alive, and come hell or high water, she would find him.

Her in-law's stayed with her the three days she was abed, coaxing her to drink and eat a few bites of soup, which was all she could tolerate. For the most part, she was unresponsive, retreating into herself and the pained connection she could still feel with her husband as it was the only thing that kept her going.

She could hear them speaking lowly at times and she knew from their hushed conversations that search parties had been organized, to no avail. She wasn't surprised by their failure to find anything; Jasper was a vampire after all, and had probably taken her husband miles and miles away within minutes of disappearing. Still, it seemed this area had been where they fed and so she waited for that shadow of pain to end as a plan formed in her mind.

When she'd sensed the end of the pain, she'd risen from her bed, bathed, got herself together, and went to find Pete's parents. It was time to send them home.

Pinching some color into her cheeks, she took a deep breath and entered the parlor where she'd heard low voices.

"Isabella, child!" Pete's mother rose from her chair and rushed to her, engulfing her in a tight hug. Backing away a bit, she studied her for a moment. "You look much better, but should you really be up child?" She looked to her husband. "Jim, perhaps you should fetch the doctor…"

Bella shook her head as she took an open seat. "No, that won't be necessary Cora. I'm feeling much better now, although I still miss him greatly…"

Cora sat by her husband as he spoke. "Isabella, we'll find him. I know my son; he's smart and one hell of a fighter." She met his steady gaze as he continued, "Now that you're feelin' better, is there anything more you might be able to tell us? Somethin' ya might have recalled?"

She felt a pang of guilt in her heart as she prepared to lie to her husband's parents yet again. "I haven't, I'm sorry. It was so dark in that alley…"

Cora leaned over and patted her hand when Bella trailed off with tears filling her eyes. "Shh, there now, don't distress yourself child." Her gaze was fierce when Bella met her eyes. "My boy's gonna be just fine, you wait and see. Ain't no way he'll stand for bein' taken from his wife and child." She shook her head and leaned into her husband's side as he put an arm around her. "Ain't no way…" She choked on emotions and Bella had to look away to keep herself together, knowing these wonderful people would never see their beloved son again.

Just thinking on the whole situation had anger and determination welling within her and she steeled herself in order to do what she had to do.

She needed them to leave. There was just no way she'd be able to go out looking for Pete with them watching her every move, so, having made up her mind, she straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath and faced them with a steady gaze. "Jim, Cora, while I appreciate you both being here for me these past three days, I think it's time that I adjust to being on my own now."

Her heart nearly broke as Cora dissolved into wracking sobs, one hand over her face as she pressed close against her husband's chest. Jim, however, looked determined and she knew she was in for an argument. "Isabella, there's just no way I can leave you alone in this house. You're our daughter now just as much as Peter is our son, and I just can't, in good conscience, leave you without help and support. Peter would want ya looked after while he's not here to do it, especially so close to the baby comin'. Nah," he shook his head slowly, "…if we go back to the ranch, you'll be comin' with us."

Seeing the determined set of his jaw, she decided to try to bargain, just praying it would work. "Jim, please try to understand, I need some time to myself—a few days at most—and then, if you still feel that way, I'll move out to the ranch with you. Now is the perfect time 'cause I still have the better part of a month before the baby comes."

Cora looked up as she dried her eyes on a handkerchief, her voice filled with sorrow as she spoke. "You sound like you've given up on him."

Pain lanced through Bella and tears filled her eyes, her voice trembling as she answered. "I'll never give up on my husband, not as long as there's breath in my body, but I need some time alone." Her gaze moved to Jim's as she continued. "So I ask again, please… give me three days at least, and then I'll be ready to go if he hasn't been found by then."

She watched as he looked away, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he struggled with what she was asking of him. It went against his better judgement, but he finally looked back at her and gave her a stiff nod. "Three days Isabella, but no more… I'll be by at noon, Thursday to collect ya."

Nodding slowly, she met his gaze. "I'll be ready, unless something changes."

He rose and helped his wife up. "We'll be going then. Ya be sure to contact Ray if anything happens or ya need anything. He'll be able to get word to me."

She hugged them both and backed away with a wan smile. "I will. Thank you for everything and please don't worry about me."

Jim shook his head and gave her a sad smile. "We'll always worry sugar. It's what parents do. We'll see ya Thursday."

With that, they turned and left and Bella eased back into a chair as she sighed in relief. That had gone better than she'd anticipated and for that small reprieve, she was thankful.

Her stomach grumbled with hunger, so she struggled up out of the chair and headed into the kitchen. She tried to stifle the tears that wanted to make a reappearance at the memory of Pete helping her out of that same chair just days ago. She missed him, terribly, and this little house held bittersweet and painful memories everywhere.

As she put some cold ham on a biscuit, she reached a decision; if, for some reason, she couldn't find Pete, she would not stay here. She just couldn't. They'd been so happy here and now…

A sob choked her and she put the food back in the cold box, her meager appetite now gone as grief clawed at her anew. Despair took hold and she slowly slipped to the floor. She felt helpless and alone… so very alone.

Why had this happened? Why did fate bring her so far, in such an otherworldly way, just to rip her soul in half and leave her so broken she didn't know how to go on? Why?

Her sobs morphed into angered screams and she beat her fists against the cabinet she leaned against. "Damn you Jasper Hale! Damn you to hell!," she railed, her face red with fury and wet with tears. "I'll watch you burn some day, I swear it. I don't care if it takes me a thousand years…"

She collapsed all the way to the floor, her blank, tear-filled gaze seeing nothing as her mind's eye pictured her eventual retribution; the flames, hot and sure as they licked up and slowly consumed the blond vampire as he screamed for a mercy that would never be forthcoming.

Yes, she would make sure to be the harbinger of a painful end for Jasper Hale. She smiled a chilling smile just thinking of it and resolve filled her as she used all this rage to strengthen herself.

_'Lying here certainly isn't helping your situation Bella,'_ she thought to herself and she slowly sat up and dried her tears as a surprising thought occurred to her: She could now see why Victoria had responded the way she had when James had been destroyed. She was shocked to realize that she not only understood it, but she sympathized as well.

Pain such as this was so all-consuming, that if she didn't have the rage to shore herself up, she would collapse completely, despite the little one she carried within her.

Her brow furrowed as she stared down at the floor. Perhaps she would feel differently once her child was born and she held him or her for the first time. Perhaps then, she would have more than hate and revenge to live for. She'd just have to wait and see…

Until then, she would take whatever strength available to her, no matter the source, for there was much to do and important decisions to make and the Goddess knew, she would need every ounce of strength she could get.

With that last thought and a nod, she rose from the floor and went to ready herself for her first foray out to find her husband.

She moved through the back streets of San Antonio as quickly and as quietly as she could, determined to avoid drawing any attention to herself; any human attention, that is. The dark dress and hooded cloak she wore helped in that regard, allowing her to blend easily into the shadows. Now, if she could just avoid tripping over anything… Toward that end, she watched closely where she placed her steps. She couldn't afford to screw this up. If Jim and Cora somehow got wind of what she was up to, she was certain they would insist on her immediate move to the ranch, where she'd be watched like a bug under glass.

Finally making her way to the alley from which Jasper had taken Pete, she settled into the darkest shadow she could find, and began her vigil, desperately hoping her patience would yield results. He was a newborn vampire after all, and would need to feed. She was counting on him doing so here, in an area familiar to him.

Silently, she watched as a cowboy and his somewhat questionable 'lady' stumbled into the alley, laughing and kissing as they made their way through to wherever they were going.

That very same scene was repeated twice more over the next hour, and her legs had started to ache as her patience waned when a sound—a very familiar, inhuman sound—caused her heart to lurch and take off racing. It had been a growl and she stared down at the far end of the alley when a man dragged the struggling form of another man into the shadows and appeared to embrace him. She knew better though and her breath hitched at the sounds of feeding she could hear.

She was just about to step out and make her presence known when the 'man' dropped the other and spun toward her with a snarl.

He blurred forward and stopped in a shaft of moonlight just a few feet from her and she sobbed out his name, "Peter!"

She watched as his blood covered face crumpled in agony as he spun away from her, his voice pitched in despair as he spoke. "You shouldn't be here!" He dropped his head and clutched it with both hands as sounds of distress came from him. "Please Isabella, run…"

She stepped closer and held a hand out. "Peter, please… I know what you are and it's okay. I don't care. I love…"

He cut her off and snarled. "Then you know what I'm capable of… I want nothing more than to drain every drop of blood in your body right now and it's killin' me to fight that urge. Please Isabella, I'm beggin' you… Leave this place and don't ever look back."

She sobbed and shook her head as she stared into his bright red eyes. "I can't do that. I love you and you promised me Pete. Do you remember that? You promised me!"

He choked and backed away a few steps as he shook his head. "I can't! Don't ya see?! I can't!"

She held her hand out again, pleading, "Peter, please… I'll wait for you to gain control. When you do, we can still be together… still have a happy life…"

"No! This is no life and you don't belong here anyway! I don't know how I know that, but I do… This is not your place or your time and somethin's tellin' me to tell you to go home, to your real home."

He backed away a few more steps as he continued. "A life with a dead man is no kinda' life Isabella, and that's just what I am—dead." He turned and began walking away slowly but paused and looked back over his shoulder when he reached the end of the alley. "Go on with your life darlin'. Peter Whitlock loved you more than anything in this world…," he faced away, his voice sad but resolute when he continued, "…but dead men can't keep promises."

He took another step but froze when she spoke as her voice trembled with tears. "My husband is _not_ dead. I am speaking to him now, and he made a promise. I intend to hold you to it, you hear?"

He didn't turn. He couldn't. He was at the end of his control and terrified of hurting her but still, he spoke. "I won't be comin' back here sugar and you won't find me, I'll make sure of that. Go home Isabella, and raise that young 'un…"

His voice choked and wavered with emotion, "…and never doubt that I loved ya."

With that, he vanished into the night.

**Your thoughts? Reviews rev the engines! Please take a moment to let me know how I'm doing! Thanks and love to you all. 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N: Just wanted to thank you all for your lovely reviews. It's a pleasure to write this story and I'm glad you're all enjoying it! If you asked a question in the review and I didn't respond, it's because to answer would be giving away plot. Feel free to look me up on Facebook. I post updates on what I'm working on daily, and sometimes ask for input on what I should work on next. I go by Laura Spudzmom. :-) P.S. 'mi león' means 'my lion', Maria's pet name for Jasper.**

* * *

**~o0o~**

Numbness filled her as she stood, hand still held out toward where her husband, the love of her life, had vanished. "Pete," she whispered forlornly, "come back."

"Oh my, you are right mi león, they are very sweet together… sickeningly so." A heavily accented female voice startled Bella and she turned quickly, almost losing her balance in the process. She just managed to recover however, and pure hatred consumed her as she glared at none other than Jasper Hale and a hispanic female vampire whose lips twisted into a malicious smirk.

Bella was done being nice. "What do you want, you no-good piece of shit?"

The female laughed and Jasper chuckled. "Well now, seems the kitten has claws. It's too bad I can't touch ya to see just how good ya are with 'em." He prowled around her and she followed him with her eyes and a slight turn of her head, still wanting to keep an eye on the female in front of her.

He finished his circuit and took his place next to the female again as Bella spoke again. "So, you just came to gloat for ruining my life then? If so, then you've had your fun. I'll be going now…"

He held up a hand with a smile. "Not so fast little kitten. Ya see, I brought Maria along tonight in the hopes that you'd be out and about. I wanted her to meet ya. She has a natural shield, ya see and so I thought to have her try to get to ya." He looked to Maria and gestured at Bella. "My love, if ya would, please…"

She pressed herself against him and kissed him. "My pleasure mi león."

Bella's heart picked up speed as the female approached, and her breath caught in terror as the female caressed her cheek without hindrance. Maria drew in a deep breath as death sparkled in her deep red eyes. "Oooh, you are right mi león, she smells devine, but I also agree she would make a special vampire."

She turned back and walked to Jasper. "We should change her."

To Bella's surprise, Jasper frowned at Maria. "We'll wait until the little 'un's born. It ain't like we're in a hurry." He looked at Bella as Maria pouted. "When's the little 'un due?"

Bella, still shaken at the fact this female got past her protection, eyed them both suspiciously. "Why should I tell you anything?"

Jasper grabbed Maria as she snarled and lunged. "Because if you don't, puta, I'll just kill it and change you now!"

Jasper growled and twisted Maria's arm behind her back, his voice low and deadly as he spoke. "No… ya won't. We do this my way or we don't do this at all. I've screwed my own family enough as it is. I won't stand for ya takin' it any further, ya hear?" Maria snarled and he wrenched her arm until she whimpered. "Ya hear me Maria?"

"Yes Major, I hear you," she hissed out contemptuously.

He let her go with a shove and she straightened and glared at Bella, but kept quiet.

Bella cut her gaze back to Jasper and wondered at the solemn expression on his face as he posed his question again. "When is that young 'un due Isabella?"

Something in his demeanor warned her against antagonizing him and so she answered. "Three weeks, give or take."

He nodded. "Fine, I'll be watchin' and I know where the ranch is darlin'. Don't think I don't. We'll see ya then."

They disappeared from the alley and Bella sagged in relief as she began her walk home, still keeping to the deep shadows.

Just as she approached another dark alley, she began to feel intense dread so she slipped her hand into her cloak pocket where she'd concealed a tiny, two-shot Derringer before leaving the house. _'Yeah_,' she thought, _'this kitten does have claws and is tired of being screwed with.'_

Glancing up at the full moon, she quickened her pace as pain lanced through her at the decision she'd just made. She needed to leave this place if she wanted a chance at raising her baby—that was made very plain to her earlier—and she needed a full moon for the ritual. If she didn't do it tonight, her baby might be born before the next opportunity and it would be too late.

She was just passing the alley when she was grabbed and a grubby hand placed over her mouth from behind as she stared into the leering face of another assailant standing in front of her. _'Perfect,'_ she thought, as rage filled her, '_two assholes for the price of one. Just how do I keep winning the fuckwit lottery, anyway?'_

Asshole number one who had grabbed her, spun her around and she grinned maliciously as she stuck the tiny gun between his ribs and pulled the trigger. She was still smiling as she watched surprise bloom on his homely face just before he dropped like a sack of bricks.

She turned to take care of Asshole number two and gasped in shock to see him dead on the ground with a smirking Jasper standing behind him. "Just protectin' future assets darlin'. No need to thank me," he drawled.

Stowing the gun back in her pocket, she stepped around the body of Asshole number two and sneered at Jasper as she continued her walk home. "I wasn't about to, jerk-off."

He fell into step beside her. "So I reckon ya do know how to use those claws after all. That's good. I like an assertive woman."

Staring straight ahead, she replied, "That's too bad. For one, I'm married. Two, I fucking hate you and will kill you the first chance I get. Those two points tend to put dents in your future relationship plans."

He chuckled darkly. "Who said anythin' about a relationship darlin'? I just wanna fuck ya. I bet you're a spirited ride darlin'."

She glanced over at him with a curled lip. "I wouldn't fuck you if you were the last cock left on this planet."

He hooted and laughed. "Damn girl, Pete know ya got such a mouth on ya?"

She resolutely ignored him and quickened her pace.

"I bet he don't," he whispered, leaning toward her ear. "I bet there's a helluva lot he don't know about ya. Ya seem like the type with a lot of secrets, especially since ya knew what I was right off, not to mention that nice bite mark ya got on your wrist."

As she neared her home, Jasper stopped at the unseen barrier she'd set up and watched her walk to the door. She was just about to go inside when he called out to her. "Isabella?"

She turned to him with a raised brow.

"What is a jerk-off anyway?"

She smirked as she opened her door and stepped in. "Go look in a mirror." With that, she shut the door and he shook his head.

"Damn."

Walking over to the nearest tree, he hopped up into the branches and settled in to watch, leaning back casually against the trunk. He was gonna make damn sure Maria didn't show up to cause trouble. He knew she was pissed off and a pissed off Maria was never one to underestimate. He knew the bitch would stop at nothing to have her way but he also knew she was afraid of him and with good reason. This might just be the cause of them finally going their separate ways, but he'd be damned if he'd let her hurt that baby.

Once inside the house, Bella's bravado dropped and she rushed upstairs to get her satchel and gather all the supplies she'd need. She had to hurry because the moon was about to reach its apex.

Once she had it all together, she hurried back downstairs and out the back door, eyeing the open space between the house and privy as she chewed her bottom lip. She didn't have anything available to make a perfect circle and she didn't have the time to locate something, so with a shrug, she began pouring the salt, sending up a prayer that it would be sufficient.

Just as she was setting up the candles, a voice intruded. "What the hell are ya doin' Isabella?"

She looked up at Jasper, who was still safely outside her protection boundary. "You'll see," was all she said to him as she continued getting everything set.

When it was done to her satisfaction, she sat in the center, lit all the candles, glanced up at the moon and began the ritual. Just before she disappeared, she looked at a bewildered Jasper and spoke with tears clearly tracing down her cheeks. "Tell Peter I love him, and he promised."

Jasper watched the strange, brave and beautiful girl disappear in a flash of white light and loosed a growl of frustration as he leaned into the unseen barrier that collapsed as soon as the light dissipated. He rushed to the circle she'd been in and cursed her absence once again, even as he tried to take in the fact that she seemed to be some sort of witch. "Damn!" He ran a hand through his honey-blond hair as he loosed a low growl. She was gone all right, with not even a hint of her scent left behind.

* * *

The lone wolf had just finished his mournful howl when another bright flash temporarily blinded him. He blinked a couple of times as he tried to clear his vision and when he could see well again, he was shocked by a form now lying in the center of Bella's circle. It looked like a girl, but the dress was different from the green one Bella had just been wearing, so he stuck his nose in the air as he tried to sample her scent. _'Holy shit,'_ he thought. This girl smelled like Bella, but there was also a hint of vampire mixed with it and so he growled lowly as he moved forward cautiously.

Within seconds, the smell of more vampires on the slight breeze had his hackles rising and he rushed forward, baring his teeth at the two who emerged from the woods.

"Oh stuff it Fido," the short female groused. "You're not on your territory, so back off."

As much as he hated to admit it, she was right, so he took up his watch-post once again as he cursed them in his mind. _"Damn Cullen's. What the hell are they doing back here anyway? Haven't they fucked up her life enough already? She just got over that anemic, emo asshole, and now they're back…"_

All attention was drawn to the circle when the girl began to stir and mumble the name 'Pete', and the wolf watched as the short girl motioned toward Bella while speaking to the male she was with. "Pick her up Jazz and carry her to her bed."

He shook his head as his brow furrowed. "I don't know darlin', the last I remember, I couldn't touch her."

The short girl slapped a hand to her forehead. "Shit, that's right. I forgot you told me that." She sighed and tapped her foot before tossing a hand in the air. "Well, give it a shot. If you can't, then I'll try. If that won't work, then we'll just have to get Fido to carry her and tolerate the stench because we can't just leave her there on the ground. It's cold out and the baby…"

Jake cut her off as he slipped into some shorts, his mind reeling. "Whoa… Hold the fuck on… Baby?! What baby?"

He stopped at the edge of the circle and stared at Bella as he continued firing questions. "What's going on here anyway? I watched her disappear wearing a green dress, and a couple minutes later she reappears wearing this one!" He gestured at the curled up, sleeping girl in the circle. "And now you're mentioning something about a baby? Bella's not pregnant! We just had dinner together earlier this evening and she was not pregnant!" He furrowed his brow. "At least she didn't look pregnant…"

The short girl cocked a brow and pointed at Bella. "Well, take a look Sherlock."

He curled a lip as he glanced at the vampire. "I have been. Can't exactly see shit with all the layers she's wearing!"

Alice rolled her eyes and glanced at Jasper. "This is getting us nowhere. Try touching her Jazz and we'll go from there."

He stepped forward cautiously and hissed when a barrier around the circle shocked him as he tried to cross it.

"Shit," he said as he shook out his stinging hand. He glanced at Alice and smirked. "I forgot just how painful that could be. It hurts worse than Kate's gift at its best." He frowned and pulled Alice to his chest. "Ya sure ya wanna try it Ali?"

She reached up and patted his cheek as she rolled her eyes. "I love that you worry about me Jazz, but it can't be all that bad." Having said that, she zipped over to the circle and reached out a hand just as Jasper began to speak again.

"Ali, I don't think you under—…" She shrieked and fell back on her butt as Jake snickered and Jasper muttered out the rest of his sentence, "…—stand how bad it really is."

She looked at her husband with wide eyes. "Shit, that hurt," she said with awe in her voice as Jasper nodded.

She hopped to her feet and brushed herself off. "Okay Fido, you're up." She waved a hand at the circle and Jake swallowed thickly as he crept toward it. He slowly extended his hand and poked at the air above the drawn circle, finally relaxing a bit with a nervous chuckle when nothing happened. He poked again and Alice scoffed. "Oh for fucks sake! Pick her up already! We don't have all night."

He scowled at the tiny vampire. "Don't get your butt-floss in a knot princess. I'm gettin' there…" So saying, he stepped into the circle and scooped the unconscious Bella into his arms, just then noticing the satchel still clutched in her hands and the very big belly that had been concealed by the full skirts of her dress and cloak. He turned and looked at the two vampires with shock-widened eyes. "She is pregnant!" He stared down at the girl he loved, still not believing what he was seeing. "She's like, really, _really_ pregnant…" He looked at them again. "How the fuck did that happen in the two damn minutes she was gone?!"

Jasper smirked and Alice shrugged a petite shoulder. "Well, you see Jacob, when a man and a woman are attracted to each other…"

He rolled his eyes and cut her off as he marched by. "Fuck off shorty. Let's get her home."

**Your thoughts? My thanks to each and ever reviewer. I read them all and, believe it or not, they keep me going. 'Till next time! ~Spudz**


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N: Once again, thank you for your amazing reviews. So happy to know you're enjoying the story! For those wondering about Pete, worry not, we'll be seeing him again very soon! My love to you, ~Spudz**

* * *

~o0o~

Bella awoke slowly to a whisper-shouted conversation taking place right outside her door and she absently wondered who it could be as she blinked up at her ceiling, trying to get her eyes to focus. Jim and Cora, perhaps?

The more she searched her memories, the more she remembered and she pushed herself up from the bed with a gasp, taking in the date and time on the alarm by her bed at Charlie's house as tears filled her eyes. "Pete… oh gods above… I left you…" She dropped her head and covered her face with both hands as quiet sobs shook her shoulders. She hadn't even been gone from this time for twenty-four hours, and if not for the raw pain in her soul and the gentle movements of her child, she might've thought it all to be a dream, or a nightmare; she couldn't decide which.

Jasper was the only one who heard Bella over the hushed din of the argument taking place with a red-faced Charlie and he nudged his wife and cut a quick glance at Bella's door. "Bella's awake."

His quiet declaration stopped Charlie mid-rant and he opened his daughter's door and walked in to see her hunched over and crying.

To say his morning had been unusual would be understating. He'd awoken to the sounds of movement and quiet conversation in his living room. When he'd gone to check it out, he'd found none other than Jake and Jasper Hale sitting across from each other, as they stared back at him. He'd just asked what was going on and why a Cullen was there when Alice made her way down from Bella's room, after she'd sat with her for a while.

Jake had started in on some wild story about watching Bella perform some ritual last night in the woods that made her disappear, when Charlie had heard enough and had rushed up stairs. They'd all followed, and Alice had argued for Bella needing more sleep, in a bid to stall Charlie until Bella could wake up and figure out what she was going to tell her father. That's as far as they'd progressed and now here he stood, watching his daughter cry.

"Bells, what's going on? I thought you said you were over Edmund? Did something else happen? Did someone hurt you?"

Bella bent her knees and pulled the blanket up as her mind searched for what to say. Gods, once again, she was caught in another time, without a good cover story for her situation…

She met his gaze as she dried her eyes and gestured to her chair. "Dad, have a seat. This might get long and gods know you'll probably need the support."

His brows inched up. "Bella, I'm a cop. I've seen and heard of just about everything." Nevertheless, he pulled the chair around and took a seat, motioning with a casual wave of his hand that he was ready to listen.

Bella took a deep breath and began. "Okay… you remember that box from my grandmother you told me about?"

He looked a little amused. "It was just yesterday Bells. I know I'm getting older, but I'm not senile… yet."

She placed the heel of her hand against her forehead and muttered, "Shit, that's right… it hasn't been that long for you…" She dropped her hand and looked at him. "Sorry—I've sort of been through a lot, so bear with me as I try to explain."

He gave a slow nod. "I'm here and I got Randy to cover things at the station until I get there. If this takes the whole shift…," he shrugged and waited for her to continue.

She cleared her throat. "Okay, well, the box… After you left for work, I got it down and went through it. It had a bunch of stuff in there and a letter that was addressed to me, but let me stop there and ask you… How much did you know about my grandmother? I only ask because your answer will let me know how to approach telling you all of this."

He shifted in the chair and crossed one leg over his knee as his fingers tapped a rhythm on the arm of the chair. "Well," he said, blowing out a breath, "your mother didn't really like her and her reasons were kind of shocking when she finally got around to sharing them with me… something crazy about her being a witch or something… why?"

Bella smiled wanly and nodded. When she met his gaze, he was startled by the deep sadness he could see in her eyes. "Because it was all true Charlie and I'm a witch too, but I never knew that until… yesterday when I read my grandmother's letter and then performed the ritual she instructed me to."

Charlie blinked at her for a couple of beats and then looked away. "Wow Bells, that's…jesus…," He looked back at her. "Not sure what to say here. Jake was saying something about watching you disappear last night in the woods, but I thought he'd been seeing too much of the tribe's shaman or something…"

She met his gaze with a steady one of her own with not even a hint of mirth to be found, even at his bad joke. "No Dad, he wasn't high or hallucinating. He told you the truth. The ritual I performed sent me back in time to San Antonio, TX, 1883 to be exact. She'd prepared a satchel with all the papers and money I would need and she'd even provided a period appropriate dress for me to wear. I didn't know, at the time, why she'd sent me there, but…" Her chin quivered and she pressed her lips together as she fought her tears with a hand over her eyes. "I'm sorry dad, I'm sorry," her voice trembled as she spoke. She heaved a big breath and looked back up as she wiped away her tears. "I know now why she sent me there—it was to meet my true soul mate Dad and I did meet him, the very next day after arriving there. I knew him the moment I saw him because I had dreamed of him before I ever left here."

She met her father's eyes to see him listening intently as she paused. "I was there for ten months Dad and in that time, Pete and I fell in love and got married."

She stopped speaking when Charlie stood from the chair and stared out the window, his back tense as he fisted his hands and opened them in an effort to ease his tension as he tried to absorb what she was telling him.

At last he spoke. "Bells, do you realize how crazy that sounds?" He looked at her over his shoulder and she nodded slowly. She wasn't about to be offended because it _was_ crazy, but he would just have to come to terms with it all and she would give him the time he needed without pushing. "I do Dad, but it's all one hundred percent true."

Charlie sighed and sat back down, lacing his fingers together over his chest as his elbows rested on the arms of the chair.

She smiled sadly as he stared. "You would have liked him Dad." She glanced up. "He was a Texas Ranger. He took a bullet in the shoulder a month after I got there. He was stopping a bank robbery." She shook her head at the memory. "Gods, I was so scared, but he pulled through and was fine. That's when I told him I loved him for the first time; there on the floor of that bank as he was bleeding." She met Charlie's gaze again. "It's also where he proposed and gave me this ring." She held up her hand to show him the diamond set she wore and Charlie shook his head slowly as he stood and ran a hand through his hair.

"Bells…," he shook his head again and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. "Jesus…," he pinned her with a steady gaze. "Can you see why I'm having a hard time with this? You were just here yesterday! You haven't gone anywhere for ten _days_, much less ten _months_! And before yesterday, you were damn near incoherent with grief over Cullen leaving you! You weren't healthy baby girl and now, the day after you come back to the land of the living, you tell me this wild story…" He looked tortured when he met her gaze. "How am I supposed to believe you?"

She looked into his eyes for moments, saddened but not surprised by this reaction, and knew what she had to do. Moving carefully, she peeled back the covers and stood to face him, taking no pleasure in his absolute shock as he stared down at her eight-months pregnant belly. Her voice was soft as she spoke. "I was just here yesterday, right?"

His gaze darted up to meet hers and he nodded as the color drained from his face. "Ye…," he cleared his throat and tried again, "Yes, you were."

"And clearly, I wasn't pregnant yesterday, right?"

Charlie collapsed back into the chair and covered his face with a hand as he muttered, "God, how can this be possible—it's just not possible…"

She sat back on her bed with her hands in her lap as she gave him a few moments to recover. It wasn't until he stopped muttering to himself that she spoke again. "Dad, there are many more things in this world that you probably aren't aware of and it's probably not a good idea for me to clue you in at the moment. Just know that they're out there and they're very real. I can try to keep you separate from the supernatural if that's your preference, but I am very much a part of it and you can't change that, no matter how you'd like to.

"All I need from you Dad is understanding and support. You see, I lost my husband to part of that supernatural world just before I came back here. To me, it was just four short days ago, but in reality - back in this time, it's been over a hundred years. The part that kills me is that I'm not sure if I'll ever see him again, but either way, I have to go on no matter how painful it is Dad, because I need to raise and love my child, even if Pete isn't here to do that with me."

He was just nodding when there was a timid knock at the door and Bella stood and answered it, clearly shocked by who it was. "Alice! What are you doing here?" Just as she asked that question another thought occurred to her and her face twisted in absolute hate as she stared over the female vampire's shoulder. "Are you alone? Is your husband with you by any chance?" Her gaze met Alice's apologetic gold one as Alice nodded.

Pure malice dripped from every syllable as Bella spoke again. "Oh good, let me just get my robe and I'll go greet him and introduce him to my father." She turned to the still somewhat shell-shocked Charlie. "Come with me Dad to greet Alice's _wonderful_ husband?"

He rose and muttered, "Yeah, sure," as Bella slipped into her robe and headed, carefully, down the stairs.

Jasper stood from his chair as soon as Bella entered the room, looking bravely resigned to take whatever she was willing and capable to dish out. He'd give her this and much more because he owed more than he could ever atone for, not only to her but to his nephew also.

Bella ignored every other soul in the room as her gaze pinned Jasper where he stood, waiting, as she slowly approached. When she reached him, she eyed him up and down before saying a word, speaking slowly and enunciating clearly when she did so. "Well, well… Jasper. It's been a long time has it not?"

He inclined his head. "It has Bella, a regrettably long time."

"Yes," her lip curled in distaste as she stared him down, "regrettably long, and yet, for me, not long at all."

His gold eyes shown with nothing but sincerity and it turned Bella's stomach to see it. She didn't want his sincerity, his remorse, his sympathy, and least of all, his apology. No; she wanted absolutely nothing from him but to witness his pain. That's what she wanted from him, and she'd see that she got it, eventually, no matter what.

With that thought foremost in her mind, she extended her hand, hearing a slight whimper from Alice as she did so. "Have a handshake for an old friend, Jasper?"

Again, he inclined his head as he reached to grasp her hand. "Gladly, Isabella."

He stiffened visibly when they made contact and she smiled as she covered his hand with her other in mock warmth. "Ever the tough guy, eh Major?"

She watched as the muscles in his jaw began to twitch under the strain as he tensed with the pain she delivered. Smiling into his eyes, she observed with relish as his nostrils flared and he began to tremble, but still, no sounds of distress left him.

His eyes were next to exhibit strain as they darkened in response to the excruciating current running through him and finally… finally… his lips parted the barest amount and a quiet, pained moan left him.

Bella was entranced as she took it all in. She wasn't sure how long they had stood in this mini-punishment session but she reveled in every second of it until the sound of Alice's quiet voice broke her concentration. "Bella, please, I beg you…"

Bella locked gazes with a panting, trembling Jasper. "Did you hear that Major? She _begs_. Sound familiar?" She glanced over at a distraught Alice, her voice cold as ice as she spoke. "Begging gains _nothing_, isn't that right Major?" She glanced back at him and he managed an answer.

"You're right…," his voice was weak, thready, "… and I'm sor…"

Bella's anger flared and the voltage she delivered flared with it, nearly putting Jasper on his knees as he gasped and clenched his eyes shut. "No! Don't you _dare_ apologize! You don't get to say you're sorry!" Tears fell from her eyes and she clenched her jaw as she threw his hand away from her and turned away. "Words will _never_ fix what you did to us, so don't think to soothe your filthy conscience with their utterance."

With that, she turned and went back upstairs, leaving all those remaining behind somewhat speechless as Jasper eased back into a chair.

"Well," Charlie's voice broke the tense silence, "do I even want to know what the hell that was all about?"

Alice was busy making sure Jasoer was okay so Charlie looked over at a stunned Jake who shook his head resolutely. "I'm not even sure on the details Charlie, but I can say this— I have no desire to know them—ever."

Charlie sighed and stared into the middle distance. "Right."

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N: Thanks and love to those who've been reading along and showing support with your wonderful words. Your feedback means more to me than I can say. What I can do is give you quick updates! Also, someone asked for longer chapters... this one is 1000 words over the usual! Hope you all enjoy! ~Spudz**

* * *

**~o0o~**

Bella was just slipping the long-sleeved t-shirt she'd borrowed from Charlie over her head when there was a knock at her bedroom door.

"It's open," she said as she grabbed the flannel shirt she'd also borrowed from her Dad, and put it on. She began buttoning it as Alice took a seat in the chair.

Refusing to speak first, she went to her closet and grabbed a pair of low boots and began struggling into them. Finally managing to get them zipped, she stood straight, adjusted the waist of the leggings she'd managed to stretch around herself and sat on her bed, absently rubbing at the slowly worsening ache in her lower back.

She eyed her sad-looking best friend and shook her head. "What can I do for you Alice? I'm assuming you came up here for a reason."

Alice nodded and held out an envelope. "This came for you earlier. It's why I interrupted your talk with Charlie, but we all got a little… side-tracked… so I waited for you to get out of the shower and dressed before bringing it up."

Bella mumbled out an absent "Thanks" as she looked at the information on the envelope with a furrowed brow. "Huh, it's a registered letter from a lawyer."

She flipped it over, tore the seal and removed the two sheets inside. The first was a standard cover letter from the lawyer explaining their involvement in the delivery of the letter. The second was the real letter to her from her grandmother Isabella, and she unfolded it and read it over twice before finally looking back at Alice.  
"It's from my grandmother." She looked off into the distance for a moment before continuing. "I guess I'll never know what prompted her to send me on this wild journey, unless she has more letters waiting in the wings for me." She sighed as Alice remained silent, just giving Bella time to think and process.

"This one," she waved the letter, "tells me how to get rid of the protection spell I placed on myself." She smiled bitterly at Alice. "If I do that, it means no more fun handshakes with your hubs." Alice cringed and remained silent and Bella sighed. "She tells me in here," again, she waved the letter, "that it's necessary to do so."

Alice gave her a tentative smile. "It would be nice to hug you again…"

Bella smirked. "Seriously Alice? After what I just did and said to Jasper?"

Alice's voice was soft as she answered. "Well, yeah Bella. You're my best friend and I hope I'm still yours. Jasper told me, a while back, what happened back then and I don't think he spared any of the details." Their gazes locked and she continued. "He was absolutely horrid to you and Pete back then Bella and I can totally understand your feelings. I can only hope that someday, you'll come to realize that there are forces at work in all our lives that seem to work things out the way they're supposed to be in the long run, even if the events they perpetrate to accomplish our fate are painful for a time. Even the events of your eighteenth birthday were orchestrated to put you back on the proper path." She looked down into her lap as she finished speaking and Bella looked away, clenching her jaw.

"Just when did Jasper recognize me Alice?"

She looked up, apology written clearly in her features. "Your first day at Forks High; and when he saw you becoming involved with Edward and saw how infatuated Edward was with you, he could barely stand the guilt Bella. It was awful. I finally got him to talk to me about it and after he had told me the whole story, I came up with the plan that would get Edward to leave you." She looked up imploringly. "It was the only thing that would work to get you back on your right path and ultimately to your soul mate."

Bella arched her back and pressed a fist against it as she spoke. "So, you're saying Jasper wasn't trying to attack me for real that night?"

"That's right Bella, but it had to be good enough to fool Edward which isn't an easy thing to accomplish. Nonetheless, we did it—Jasper did it—to try to right a monumental wrong. He feels he owes you both a debt that can never be repaid, but he's determined to try."

Bella clenched her fists in her lap and looked away as she thought about everything Alice had said.

She was frustrated by Alice's words and wisdom because she'd just read essentially, the same words from her grandmother's hand in that letter; acceptance and forgiveness. She bristled at the thought. Put plainly, it was a damn big and bitter pill and Bella didn't want to swallow it. For her, the events were just too damn fresh to go ahead and let bygones be bygones. She still, very much, wanted her pound of flesh damn it.

Looking back at Alice, she spoke again. "Does he know where my husband is? I know he's not anywhere close; I can feel that. I can feel his absence, but it's not complete, so I know he's still alive—existing—whatever terms fit." She waved a hand absently and scooted back on the bed to lean against the pillows and headboard in a bid to relieve her pain.

Alice took a deep breath and let it out before answering. "We do know where he is." She met Bella's rock-steady gaze. "He lives in Montana on a ranch he bought a couple decades ago. We aren't close, but over the years it's reached the point where he'll speak to Jasper without trying to tear him to pieces at least." She smiled sadly at Bella. "Thank god they're evenly matched in fighting skills or this would have ended in tragedy for one side or the other long ago. Seems fighting prowess runs in the Whitlock veins."

"Hmm, too bad it didn't run a little deeper than what a Hale was capable of then."

Bella's brow furrowed as she watched Alice's eyes widen. "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what Alice?", Bella asked suspiciously.

"James Whitlock, your father-in-law, was the younger brother of Jasper Whitlock. Bella, Jasper is Peter's uncle. Your baby is Jasper's great-nephew or niece."

Bella's heart was in her throat for some reason at this revelation. "But… Hale?"

"…is Rosalie's true surname and Jasper went by it in school to fit with the twin cover story. His true surname is Whitlock."

Bella ran both hands through her mahogany locks, clutching at the roots as she took all this in. Jesus… her most hated enemy is really good ol' Uncle Jasper?! No wonder Jim Whitlock always looked so naggingly familiar to her. _'Fuck, what's next?'_ she thought. '_No, never mind, not exactly a safe question to ask in this cluster fuck.'_

Looking back at the patiently waiting Alice, she spoke. "Okay, now that we've established we're all just one big fucked up family, where the hell is my husband and why hasn't good ol' Uncle J hauled his ass here? No, scrap that… why hasn't _Peter_ beat a blazing path to my door? Because I have to say, the more I think about this situation, the more pissed I'm becoming. I would have been here yesterday if my role was reversed with my husband, so what gives?" _'So my bitchy hormones are showing',_ she thought, _'So what?'_

Alice now looked nervous and Bella narrowed her eyes at her as she finally started talking. "Well, you see… it's a bit complicated…" She glanced up at Bella who gave her a flat look.

"No…banish the thought."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Sarcasm doesn't suit you Bella…"

Bella stared. "I disagree. I'm quite comfortable with it, now cut to the fucking chase."

She huffed. "Fine. Jasper and I went there a few days ago to explain things…"

Bella cut her off with a hand, held up. "No such thing as a phone in Montana?"

Alice scowled. "He refuses to have a phone. He's never had one and swears he never will."

Bella's brows inched up and she gestured to Alice, "Please, continue."

"Anywaaayy," she drew the word out in exasperation, "…Jasper and I went there to explain and Charlotte wouldn't let us near the place. She met us with a damn flame thrower! Threatened to torch my husband! She meant it too! She nearly lit us both on fire and we barely got out of there intact."

Bella's expression had darkened with every mention of this Charlotte person. She jumped up off the bed—as well as she could manage anyway—and faced Alice as pain and anger knifed its way through her. "Just who the hell is Charlotte and what is she to my husband?" Just the thought of him with another woman all these years had tears falling from her eyes in seconds and she doubled over as a more tangible pain gripped her lower abdomen in a vice. "Oh gods!" She clawed at the side of the mattress as she went to her knees.

Alice was beside her instantly, but drew back with a pained gasp as the protection spell repelled her. "Bella! What's wrong?!"

Bella stayed hunched over for a few moments until the worst of the pain eased and then she looked up at Alice. "Please tell me Carlisle is here!"

She grabbed Alice's arm for comfort but let go immediately when Alice cried out at the pain. "Oh god Alice, I'm sorry!"

Alice was shaking her head as Bella's door flew open and Jasper rushed in. Alice held up a hand. "It's okay Bella… it's fine sweetie, let's just worry about you." She shot a reassuring look at a worried Jasper and looked back at a grimacing Bella. "In answer to your question, yes, Carlisle is here but Bella, he can't touch you."

Bella struggled up from the floor by hanging onto the mattress now that the pain had eased. "You're right. I need to cancel that spell…" She looked around and grabbed her grandmother's letter just as Charlie and Jake joined them. She handed it to Alice—carefully. "Can you please gather all the items on this list for me?"

She glanced at Jasper just as another pain gripped her and she started to fall.

He scooped her up and she cried out with the pain. "It's okay darlin'," he ground out through his own pain from touching her. "I gotcha." He laid her down gently on the bed and she curled onto her side. "Jasper," she reached for him and then thought better of it,"will you draw the pentagram? There's chalk for it in the top drawer of the desk and the directions are in the letter Alice has." She gasped and rocked with the pain and he nodded.

"Sure darlin'. Anything else you need, just tell me."

She gave a quick nod and continued rocking.

Charlie took all this in with a scowl. "What's going on Bells? You look like you need a doctor. I'll pull the car up and take you to the hospital."

He turned to head out but froze at Bella's voice. "No! God no, I'm not letting that old quack touch me!" She shuddered. "He's feeble and crusty and he's gotta be going on 80 years old at least." She stopped rocking as what was now undeniably a contraction, eased.

Jasper smirked at her. "You realize the irony in what you just said?"

She shot him the finger and grumbled, "Get busy drawing Uncle Jerk-off. You're still head turd on my shit parade."

Charlie scowled at their banter and brought the conversation back to the point. "I don't see that you have much choice Bells. You're certainly not planning to have it here?!"

She almost laughed at the look of panic on his face. "No Charlie, I'm going to Dr. Cullen. Just don't worry about any of this Dad. It'll be fine, but I'm gonna need room to work so why don't you and Jake go watch a game or something."

He looked relieved. "Okay Bells, just—," he cast around for something appropriate to say, "—let me know if you need me."

She began rocking again as another contraction hit and she nodded and gasped while shooing him out with an impatient wave.

Jasper finished up drawing out the pentagram and drew closer to Bella as she rocked and whimpered through the pain. Sitting on the floor next to the bed, he focused on her and her pain, siphoning off what he could while replacing it with a mix of more pleasant emotions.

Alice rushed back in a couple minutes later. "Bella, I'm going to have to take a trip into town. I just spoke to Charlie and he doesn't have the candles you need."

"Okaaay," Bella sing-songed with a lazy wave and a giggle. "Just don't take Uncle Morphine with you. His happy ass is mine until this kid shows up." She rolled onto her back and started humming with her eyes closed and a small smile on her face.

Alice gave a grinning Jasper a flat look. "I think you're over-doing the happy vibes Jazz, really. She acting like some of those people we saw at Woodstock for cripes sake!"

His grin widened. "Where ya think I picked up these particular emotions darlin'?"

She sighed and nodded. "I guess it's better than seeing her in all that pain." She waved and grabbed her purse. "Okay, I'll be right back with those candles. I'll call Carlisle and let him know to be ready too. See ya!"

She zipped out of the room and Jasper leaned back and closed his eyes as he listened to Bella hum. She wasn't half bad and now that her pain was tolerable, he found being near her relaxing.

A few minutes later, Bella stopped humming to speak. "Jasper?"

He kept his eyes closed as he answered. "Yeah sugar?"

"Will I ever see Pete again?"

He cringed at the heartache he felt from her. "Yeah baby doll, you will. I'll make sure of it."

She grabbed a blanket and wrapped up in it as she turned on her side to face him.

"Jasper?"

"Yeah darlin'?"

She sniffled and her voice wavered. "What about Charlotte?"

He sent more good vibes her way and answered. "Don't ya worry with that sweetheart. She ain't gonna be a problem, and if she tries to be, I'll take her out."

"Jasper?"

"Yeah baby doll?"

"I miss ice cream."

He chuckled. "Ya want some ice cream sugar?"

"Yeah…," she yawned and continued in sleepy tones, "…mint chip please."

He smiled and turned just in time to see her fall asleep and took out his phone. "Esme, we have any ice cream there? Bella wants mint chip."

_"Oh Jasper! How is she? I can't wait to see her!"_

He sighed. "She was heartsick and angry when she awoke, but overall, she's doing well."

_"Oh, good. I'm sure she'll recover fully when she finally has her mate back."_

"Yeah, I sure hope so Esme."

_"Well, I guess I'll go pick up some ice cream."_

He heard Carlisle in the background and then Esme spoke. _"Jasper sweetheart, Carlisle would like to speak with you. I'll see you when you get home. Bye dear."_

He smiled at her motherly tendencies. "Goodbye Esme."

_"Jasper? How far apart are her contractions son?"_

"Well, when I first got to the room, they seemed to be rather close together, but I've since calmed her with my gift and she's been sleeping for about five minutes now, so it's a bit difficult to tell."

_"She's had no other signs? Her water hasn't broken?"_

Jasper closed his eyes and took a few seconds to thank god for his vampire constitution before answering. "Uh, she's still dressed and she's still, uh, dry, so I don't think so?"

Carlisle chuckled at his obvious discomfort with the line of questioning. _"Well, that's good. Just get her here as soon as you can."_

He nodded out of habit. "We will Carlisle. Has Alice told you any of the situation? Anything about the ritual?"

_"Ah, yes a bit. Something about not being able to touch her until she reverses the spell?"_

"That's right. Alice is in town gettin' the candles she needs for it. As soon as she's back, and Bella does her thing, we'll be on our way."

_"I'm glad to hear it Jasper. This is her first and first time mothers usually labor the longest, but I'd feel better keeping a close eye on her especially since she hasn't had much in the way of pre-natal care."_

Jasper heard Alice pull up outside so he let Carlisle know and ended the call. He needed to concentrate on waking her up gently, especially since he couldn't touch her. He'd have to do it with a gradual exchange of emotions, so he put his phone back in his pocket and began.

She stirred just as Alice walked back in. "Bella? Time to wake up darlin'. Alice is here with the candles." He drew back more of the relaxed vibes and watched as she woke fully and sat up.

"Wow, that was some of the best sleep I've ever had." She smirked at Jasper. "Too bad you can't bottle that. You'd be a billionaire."

He smirked back. "I have a psychic wife. Who says I'm not a billionaire?"

Bella's brows rose. "Huh… ya got me there."

Bella stood from the bed and Alice gestured at the set up in the middle of the floor. "Does it look right?" She handed her the letter and Bella studied it for a moment and nodded.

"Yep, looks good." She went to her desk and retrieved her athame from the drawer before looking at the two vampires in the room. "This requires blood. Is that going to be a problem?"

They both shook their heads. "Don't worry Bella. Jasper's control is on par with Carlisle's, believe it or not. He just doesn't like sharing that info with anyone, especially Edward. He's changed hundreds of humans and never killed one he intended to keep."

He hung his head at the feeling now coming from Bella at the unwitting reminder of Pete's fate and Alice murmured, "I'm sorry."

Bella shook her head. "Let's just get on with this before the contractions start up again, because once I start I can't stop until it's done." She handed Jasper the ceremonial cup. "Venom of the offender; donate please."

He looked at her with a brow cocked. "The offender?"

"Well, yeah Uncle J. The original ritual was against you. Since you were the problem, you have to be part of the solution. One of the most important aspects of magic is always balance; give and take." She rolled her hand in the air. "Come on, come on, we don't have all day and it's not like I'm asking for a sperm sample here. Spit in the damn cup and be done with it!"

Amusement danced in his eyes as he leaned over and spit in the cup. "Happy darlin'?

She smirked. "Supremely."

She turned and set the cup down beside the athame and candle and then carefully lowered herself down to sit on the floor. Let's just say, at this stage of her pregnancy, getting down there without winding up in a graceless heap, was a process. "I can feel your amusement from here Uncle and this shit's not funny."

Alice glared at him and he held up his hands. "I didn't make a peep!" His wife continued to glare and he hung his head with a sigh and sat on the bed. "Fine."

After making certain all the candles were lit, she began her chant, completing it three times before reaching for the athame. After running both sides of the blade through the flame, she quickly cut her left palm and dripped seven drops of blood into the cup. Using the tip of the athame, she swirled the contents together and set the dagger aside.

She lifted the cup with both hands and held it high as she made her request to the goddess and asked blessings on her magic. When that was done, she slowly dripped thirteen drops of the mixture onto the candle flame and watched in satisfaction as all the flames flared up, with the one that consumed the offering flaring a brilliant blue, after which all the flames extinguished at once. It was blessed. It was accepted. It was done.

Alice glanced at Jasper with widened eyes and he chuckled. He'd seen her perform a ritual before, after all. But he had to admit, it was a sight to see. He shrugged at his wife. "At least she didn't disappear this time."

They turned back to Bella and noticed a change in her breathing just before she loosed a low moan and laid over on her side. "Oh god this hurts."

Alice began cleaning things up at vampire speed. "Jazz, move her to the car. I think it's time we took her to Carlisle."

He nodded and stepped over to Bella muttering,"I sure hope that little ritual worked sugar." With that, he leaned down and scooped her up. He smiled at his wife on his way out of Bella's room when he didn't feel any pain. He hated to admit it, but she had nearly kicked his country ass good with that handshake and it wasn't an experience he wanted to repeat. Ever.

To Jasper's surprise, she clung to him as he carried her out to the car and it gave him a bit of hope that, someday, they could have an actual family relationship. He knew he didn't deserve it by any stretch of the imagination, but still, he hoped.

**So, now we know where Pete is, although Jasper was unable to get to him to tell him about Bella. And we know there is a Charlotte in the picture. Wondering what her role has been in Pete's life? The baby is obviously on it's way! Needless to say, lot's to come in the next chapter! **

**Review and let me know what you think!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended.

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**A/N: My thanks to all who reviewed. It's lovely to hear from you! Longest chapter yet for this story. Hope you enjoy! ~Spudz**

~o0o~

Bella laid, curled tightly in Jasper's arms during the ride to the Cullen house. He'd tried to put her in a seat and she'd protested the move. She didn't know why but she, strangely, felt secure with him and she had to admit, she needed that right now. She was scared and lonely and wishing Pete was here with her…

"Jasper?"

"Yeah sugar?"

"I'm scared."

He stroked a hand through her hair. "You're gonna be just fine baby girl. Carlisle's the best and he's gonna take good care of ya and the little 'un."

"I wish Pete was here."

He held her head against his chest as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "I know ya do doll, and if he ain't here by the time ya have this baby, I'll go get 'im for ya."

She glanced up at him. "Really?"

He smiled down at her sadly. "Yeah, really sugar. Y'all deserve to be together and happy and I don't care how he feels about me, I'll drag his ass here even if he doesn't wanna listen to me."

She laid her head back against his chest. "Jasper?"

"Yeah darlin?" Her voice wavered with tears and he shushed her and kissed the top of her head.

"What if he doesn't want me anymore? What if he doesn't love me? Did he give up on me after all these years? Did he move on?"

Alice met her husbands tortured, guilt-filled gaze in the rear-view mirror as he held Bella just a little bit tighter and answered. "Ya know sugar, it's been a very long time for him…"

She nodded and her shoulders shook with silent sobs as he continued speaking.

"One thing I know about Peter Whitlock is whatever he feels, he feels it deeply. He ain't the least bit fickle sugar, ya understand what I'm sayin'?"

She gave a tiny shrug and he continued. "Baby doll, ya know I'm an expert on emotions, right?" She nodded. "Well, that boy has hated me since the day he awoke to this life with a depth and breadth that'll take your breath away, but as vast as his hatred of me is, it's nothing when compared to the love he felt for you Bella." She looked up and he nodded. "He's held onto that hate for me all these years sugar, so it doesn't make a bit of sense to think that he'd let go of his love for you either."

He ran his hand through her hair. "He still loves ya darlin'. Don't ya doubt it."

Alice pulled the car into the garage, cut the engine and met her husband's gaze with a gentle smile as Bella whispered, "Thank you Jasper."

"You're welcome baby doll," he said as his chest tightened, his voice choked with emotion. He didn't deserve her gratitude, after all, but he'd meant what he'd said; he would do all that he could to fix what he'd done.

Reaching over, he popped the door open and stood from the car gracefully, Bella still held securely against his chest. "Ya wanna try walkin' darlin', or ya want me to carry ya?"

Right about then, her breathing changed and she curled up tighter. "Oh… it hurts…" She had his shirt fisted so tightly that Jasper heard some threads give way in the seam.

He glanced at Alice who opened the door for him. "I reckon that answers my question well enough," he muttered as he walked into the house. He glanced down as he carried her. "Ya want me to help sugar?"

Her eyes were squeezed shut and he could feel the tension in her muscles then she gasped. "Yes, please, just don't make me all goofy like you did before."

He chuckled as he concentrated on relaxing her subtly. "Aw, but I thought ya enjoyed it."

She glared up at him, "I'd like to get through this with as much dignity as possible. I can't do that if I'm high as a kite."

"Fair point," he said with a nod.

He entered the living room and was joined by Carlisle and Esme, the latter stroking Bella's cheek as her eyes glittered with emotion. "Bella, it's so good to see you! It broke my heart to leave you."

The pain finally eased and Bella gave her a small, teary smile. "I missed you Esme. I'm glad you guys are back." She glanced at a softly smiling Carlisle and he saw his opportunity to speak.

"Hello Bella."

She felt her tears spill over and glanced up at Jasper. "Can you put me down please?"

He placed her on her feet and she was engulfed in a hug by both Carlisle and Esme. "I missed you guys so much," she sobbed, and Carlisle rocked her side to side as Esme stroked her hair.

While there was no denying the love she had for Charlie and Renée, The couple holding her at this moment had become just as dear to her in an amazingly short time and her heart had ached at their abrupt departure. They had been the parents she'd always dreamed of having; their solid, steady love and support filling a need that her absent father and flighty mother never could.

They held her a few moments more until she groaned and backed away, one hand clutching her belly as the other reached for Jasper who scooped her up again.

"Take her up to the room we've prepared Jasper," Carlisle said as he headed for the stairs. "I just need to wash up and I'll be there momentarily."

Jasper climbed the stairs and Esme followed. "I'll help her change dear. Just give us a few minutes."

He laid her on the birthing bed they'd had brought in and turned to go when Bella grabbed his hand, fear clear in her eyes as she looked at him. "You'll come back right?"

He nodded. "If ya want me to, I will."

She looked down for a moment as she stared at her hands clenched in her lap. "I do. I feel safe with you."

His brows rose at the surprise he felt and he gave her a small smile. "Then I'll be here. For now though, I'm gonna go check out the ice cream situation." He winked and left the room, warmed by the chuckle he got in reply.

Esme handed her a comfortable looking gown and knelt down to help her with her boots as she spoke. "Do you need help changing dear?"

"I can manage Esme, thank you. I just need to do it now during the lull between contractions."

Esme placed the boots in the closet and turned to her, looking worried. "All right sweetie, but if you need any help at all, just call for me. I'll be right outside."

"Will do, thanks."

The door closed and she sat there for a moment as panic took over when she glanced around at all the equipment in the room. There was a monitor, an ultrasound machine and a tray full of sterile instruments off to the side. Then her gaze fell on the plastic bassinet that had some sort of hood over it and fear shot through her. It really looked like a hospital room more than a bedroom at the Cullen's and while that should have been comforting—it just wasn't. _'Oh god_,' she thought. _'I can't do this alone! Pete, I need you!"_ Out loud, she muttered, "Where the hell are you husband?"

With that thought, she rose from the bed, changed into the gown, and climbed under the light covers on the bed, a shaky sigh leaving her as she leaned back against the pillows in an effort to calm her racing heart.

Clenching her hands in her lap to still their shaking, she called out, "I'm done Esme."

The door opened and Esme walked in, closely followed by a scrub-clad Carlisle and her heart really took off at the sight of him. She wasn't sure why, but she was terrified. Well, perhaps she did know why; she'd been a virgin on her wedding night and Pete had been the only man who had ever seen, been around, touched… yeah. She'd never even been to that sort of doctor and just the thought of what was to come had her nearly ready to pass out.

Of course, both vampires in the room heard the change in her heart, and Esme sat on the bed, taking her hand. "Shh sweetheart," she said as she patted her hand. "Try to calm down dear. Everything will be fine. There's no need to panic."

Carlisle perched on the bed opposite his wife and smoothed some hair away from Bella's face. "Let's just talk for a moment, okay?"

Bella nodded and let out a breath as she looked down at her lap. "Yeah, that would be good."

He smiled. "Good, just try to relax and I'll ask some questions." He dipped his head down to catch her gaze. "I don't bite, you know?"

She let out a laugh that sounded a bit hysterical and shook her head as he smirked.

While checking her blood pressure and hooking up the monitor, he proceeded to ask all the standard questions to establish her due date and the level of care she'd had and whether there had been any problems so far in the pregnancy. When she'd answered all that, he nodded. "It's as I thought it would be. Pre-natal care was pretty much non-existent in that time period. Since you're not due for another 3 weeks, I need to see how far you've progressed and then I'd like to do an ultrasound to assess the baby. Depending upon those results, I may give you something to stop your labor since your membranes haven't ruptured, to give the baby's lungs more time to mature."

She looked at him with wide eyes and he patted her hand. "It's just a precaution. I'm sure he or she would be fine if delivered now, but an extra week in the womb is preferable."

He stood and grabbed some gloves and Esme patted her hand as Bella paled. "Would you like me to stay sweetheart?"

~o0o~

Jasper walked into the kitchen and smiled at his wife as she stepped forward to hug him. "You see Jazz? Everything's gonna be fine."

He'd just laid his head against his wife's silky hair when she stiffened and gasped. "Damn it," she whispered. "He sure has crap timing…"

Jasper sighed, dreading to ask but asking, nonetheless. "What did ya see darlin'?"

She backed away and rubbed her forehead before glancing up at him. "Edward—He just got the message Carlisle left about us coming back here. He's on his way and I'm not sure how he's gonna handle all of this."

Rose and Emmett walked in and leaned against the counter as Emmett shook his head. "Put it this way Alice, _I_ can barely wrap _my_ head around what you guys told us and I wasn't supposedly in love with the girl." He smirked, "Boy's gonna flip many shits."

Rose smirked maliciously. "God, I can't wait to see his face when he not only hears the story, but then sees that the girl he left a little over a month ago is now ready to give birth." She giggled and leaned into her smirking husband as Alice frowned at her.

"That's incredibly cold of you Rose. While it's now obvious they aren't mates, he did love her and this is going to hurt him deeply. He's going to need us all to be there for him to get past it."

Emmett slung an arm around his wife as she sneered and muttered "Boo-hoo".

"Nah Alice," Emmett disagreed, "what he's gonna need most, is all of us keeping him from throwing a tizzy and doing something stupid."

Alice frowned at her husband as he nodded in agreement and he shrugged at her. "He is a bit of a teen drama queen Ali and I can tell ya, if Pete shows up and Edward does or says somethin' stupid… let's just say it ain't gonna be pretty."

She looked around at Rose, Em and her husband with determination. "We've come too far in this to have it turn into a damn circus now, so we're all gonna have to keep an eye on him and keep him from screwing things up until he finally comes to terms with it all." She pinned Rose and Em with a steely gaze. "Can you both avoid baiting him with words or thoughts, at least until he's cooled off for a few days?"

Emmett shrugged and Rose studied her nails, finally throwing up a hand when Alice continued staring at her. "Fine! I can't promise that I won't piss him off with a stray thought here and there, but I won't do it deliberately. Satisfied?"

She settled back against Jasper with a sigh as he wrapped her in his arms. "It'll have to do."

"Jasper!"

They all froze at the distressed cry from Bella and Alice stepped away and patted his arm. "She's kinda freaking out Jazz."

He nodded. "Yeah, I can feel her panic from here." He ran a hand through his hair. "Damn, never thought I'd have to comfort a pregnant woman."

They all looked over at Emmett when he spoke. "Ya know, Rosie and I could go to Pete's place and get a message to him. We'll probably have better luck with this Charlotte person than you guys did anyway."

Just then, Esme walked in. "Jasper, Bella is terrified and asking for you."

He walked over to the entrance of the kitchen and turned back to Emmett. "I say it's worth a shot." He glanced at Alice and she waved to him.

"Go baby, I'll give them the address and make the arrangements. Just take care of Bella."

He headed upstairs and tried to block out the waves of anxiety that Bella was throwing out._ 'Good lord,'_ he thought. _'You'd think she was waitin' to get a leg amputated with as scared as she is!'_

He smiled to himself when he considered that she hadn't even been this frightened when James was after her. _'I ain't never gonna understand this girl,'_ he thought with a rueful chuckle.

Esme opened the door just as he got to it and ushered him inside to see Carlisle sitting on the side of the bed with a trembling Bella hugged close. "A little help would be most appreciated son."

Carlisle laid her back against the pillows as Jasper sat in the chair Esme had placed by the bed, immediately concentrating on calming and relaxing her. She reached over and grabbed his hand. "I can't do this Jasper."

He cocked a brow at her and grinned. "It's a little late to back out now ain't it darlin'? I mean, I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty damn sure ya can't stay this way."

She glared at him. "Ha, ha, you're very funny." Within seconds though her glare dropped and she looked scared again. "I've never been touched by anyone but Pete! I don't wanna do this!" She looked at Carlisle. "Can't you just—I don't know—sort of catch when it's time? Can't we skip all this other stuff?"

Jasper pressed his lips together and fought off his amusement as he glanced at a smiling Carlisle who shook his head. "I'm afraid not Bella."

She whimpered and covered her face with both hands and Carlisle took that moment to speak to Jasper too low for Bella to hear. "Knock her out for a few moments son. I need to move things along."

Jasper nodded and Bella slumped back on the pillows as he increased his influence.

Carlisle examined her quickly and nodded at Jasper as he peeled off the gloves and tossed them in the trash. "You can wake her up. I'm sure she'll want to see the ultrasound."

Bella woke and looked a bit confused as Carlisle moved the machine to the bedside. "What happened?" She glared at a suspiciously innocent looking Jasper.

Carlisle answered as he pulled her gown above her belly, took off the monitoring strap and adjusted the sheet at her hips for modesty. "You're dilated to two but the baby's head is still a bit high, so, depending on what the ultrasound shows us, I still have the option to stop your labor if needs be." He squirted some warmed gel on her belly and grabbed the transducer. "Now, what do you say we get a look at that baby?"

Bella was transfixed as she watched her baby appear bit by bit on the screen. Carlisle was wonderful with pointing everything out and explaining what he was doing and why and soon, her cheeks were wet with tears, some of joy but also some of sorrow when she thought of Pete and how he should be here.

"Well Bella, your baby looks healthy and is the average size of a forty week gestation. Do you want to know the sex?" Carlisle asked with a smile.

She smiled sadly. "It's a boy isn't it?"

Carlisle wiped the gel from her skin, replaced the monitor strap and pulled the gown down. "Yes, you have a son." He glanced at her. "Just a guess?"

She dried her eyes with a tissue and shook her head. "No, Pete insisted we were having a boy. He said he just knew."

Jasper shook his head. "So he had that irritatin' gift when he was human too then."

"Interesting," Carlisle said as he cleaned and put away the equipment. "So, my theory holds merit," he said with a pleased smile.

"Yeah, I reckon it does Carlisle," Jasper said.

Bella smirked at Jasper. "I guess that means you were a cocky asshat as a human as well then."

He mock glared at her. "Be nice to me baby girl," he pointed at himself, "Uncle Morphine, remember?"

Carlisle laughed. "Apt indeed!" He grabbed a bag of IV fluids and walked to the bed. "Another fun part my dear. I need to start an IV to keep you hydrated. Due to the baby's measurements, I'm going to let labor progress."

"Oh god, needles too…" She shot a pleading look at Jasper and he smirked.

"I feel so used," he joked as he put her to sleep.

Carlisle shot him a concerned look. "Will you be all right with all of this Jasper? If not, then she may have to deal with traditional pain relief if she needs it."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll be fine Carlisle."

Carlisle studied him for a moment and nodded. "All right son. I trust you."

He started the IV quickly and cleaned everything up as Bella woke from her Jasper-induced mini-nap. "I need to use the restroom," she mumbled as she slid over to the side of the bed.

Carlisle handed her the IV bag. "Do you need any help Bella?"

She narrowed her eyes at a smirking Jasper and grumbled, "Nah, I've been practicing and I think I've got it down now. Even stuck the landing the last few times"

Carlisle raised a brow at her and she instantly felt like an ass. "I'm sorry Carlisle. I guess I'm just a bit testy not to mention Smirky McAsshat over here doesn't help matters any." She shot said vampire a dark look and he grinned as she made her way to the bathroom.

Esme walked in a few minutes later, helped Bella back into the bed, replaced the monitor strap and took a seat. "You survived!" she said to Bella with a grin.

Bella ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah, I suppose I did. Sleeping through the bad parts does wonders for my cooperation, apparently," she grumbled.

Esme patted her leg. "Trust me, as labor progresses, you'll find you're not quite so shy anymore."

Carlisle walked over and looked at the trace sheet for the contractions. "You're labor seems to have stalled a bit. We'll watch you for a while and see what happens. You're still contracting, but they're not very strong." He smiled at her. "This would be a good time to get some sleep, but I believe your father just pulled up outside. I'll leave you to your visitor, but as soon as he leaves, you need to sleep."

She saluted and he chuckled. "Call if you need anything." With that, he and Esme left the room and she could hear them speaking to Charlie just before a knock came at the door and her father poked his head in. "Is it safe?"

She smiled. "Yeah Dad, come on in."

Jasper stood and stepped around the chair with a nod at Charlie. "Bella, I'll give y'all some time to yourselves. I'm gonna go grab a book. Just call if ya need me."

She gave a nod. "Will do, thanks."

Charlie looked around and whistled lowly as he took the chair by the bed. "Wow. This is… quite the set up." He pinned her with that certain cop gaze and asked, "Why couldn't he just attend you at the hospital? Why all of this?" He gestured around the room with a hand and she shrugged.

"You really wanna know about all of the odd stuff in my life Charlie? Or would you rather stay blissfully ignorant?"

He stared at her for a moment and then shook his head. "You're right Bells, I probably don't wanna know."

She groaned and rubbed her lower belly. "Oh gods, here we go again…" She sat up and started rocking as she clawed at the blankets and Charlie went a bit pale as he cleared his throat.

"Damn, this is, uh, this is really happening…"

She shot him a dark look. "Yeah Dad, it _REALLY_ is," she grouched at him and he held up both hands.

"Sorry kid, I just haven't had much time to get used to the idea."

The pain peaked and she cried out and glared at him. "Well, get used to it," she snarled and his eyes went wide.

"Okay then, well…" he glanced at his watch and stood. "Look at the time! I gotta get going. I'm working a night shift since I didn't make it to work today. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were. I'll check back later.

She nodded with her head down and shooed him away with a hand and as soon as he'd left she called for Jasper.

He walked in with his book and set it on the nightstand.

"Pains are back, huh?"

She laid back just as it eased. "Yeah," she said as a tear ran down her cheek. He smoothed back her hair and lowered the head of her bed. "Time to go to sleep darlin'," he murmured as he filled her with lethargy and watched as her eyes slowly closed and her breathing deepened.

Taking the chair next to the bed, he grabbed his book and flipped to the front, hoping to lose himself in the pages. He'd chosen a long book, but he had a feeling he'd need it.

A couple hours later, Carlisle entered and went to the monitor to look at the trace strip.

"How's she doin'?"

Carlisle glanced up and smiled. "Very well according to the trace. She's lucky to have you. Her contractions for the last hour have been 4 minutes apart and lasting about a minute each. Just by the trace, I'd say she's well into active labor."

"Good, so it shouldn't be much longer then?" he asked and Carlisle chuckled.

"It could still be several hours yet." He grabbed some gloves and stretched them on. "I'll know more after I check her cervix."

Jasper sat back. "I'm gonna take a guess and say I shouldn't wake her for this."

Carlisle smirked and lifted the blankets. "You're quite right son."

He replaced the blankets and stripped off the gloves when he finished and Jasper sat forward. "Well?"

He tossed the gloves in the trash and faced Jasper. "She's moving along nicely. She's dilated to 5 now. Seems keeping her so relaxed is helping things move along."

He sat back and nodded. "Good, at least I can do this for her."

Carlisle stepped over and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Don't be so hard on yourself all the time son. You're not that person any more and haven't been in a very long time. Give yourself some credit and stop dwelling on the past."

Jasper scoffed lightly. "Just wait 'till Pete gets here. Boy'd just as soon kill me as to look at me."

Carlisle patted his shoulder and moved toward the door. "I'd say he'll have quite the worthy distraction when he arrives, wouldn't you?"

He opened the door and walked out and Jasper rubbed his eyes. "I reckon he will."

Grabbing his book, he'd just settled back to read again when Alice came in and sat in his lap. "Hello my handsome husband. I thought to come and keep you company for a while."

She kissed his neck and he smiled and set the book on the nightstand as he wrapped her in his arms and soaked up the love coming from her. "My sweet Ali, what would I do without ya darlin'?"

She drew him down into a kiss and whispered against his lips, "You'll never have to find out."

He smiled and held her and they stayed that way for the next couple of hours; sometimes quiet and other times whispering to each other but in either case, it seemed to pass the time quickly for Jasper was surprised when Carlisle came back in to check on Bella again.

When he was through, Alice was the one to ask. "How is she doing Carlisle?"

He tossed the gloves and walked over to the monitor to check the trace as he answered. "She's about to go into what's called the transition phase." He glanced at Jasper. "You might find that she begins to wake through these contractions son. They tend to be more intense, last longer and come closer together. She might even get sick. Thankfully, this part doesn't tend to last very long. At the end of this phase, she should be fully dilated and ready to push. She'll need to be fully awake for that."

Alice shuddered. "If there was ever a time to be grateful for being a vampire, it's now. I can't even imagine going through that."

Esme walked in and went to her husband's side. "Oh Alice," she said, her tone one of awe, "It's a miracle happening here. New life! There's no greater privilege than to give birth! It's amazing. You'll see."

Alice didn't look convinced. "I get what you're saying Esme, but…" she shuddered again, "…it just seems so painful and humiliating and—messy. I'm more than happy to leave it to someone else, thanks." She wrinkled her nose and Carlisle laughed softly.

Bella moaned and curled onto her side as she clutched at the blankets and Carlisle checked the monitor strip again just as the sound of the front door closing caught their attention.

Alice quickly cut her gaze to Carlisle. "It's Edward.

Seconds later, the door opened wide and there he stood, looking livid, his eyes black as night and hands clenched into fists at his sides. "What's going on and why is Bella here?"

She cried out then in her pained, semi-conscious state. "Pete! Hurts! Ahhhh," she moaned as she thrashed.

Carlisle raised the sides of the bed. "Jasper, I think maybe it's best to let her wake fully now. Esme, stay with her in case she gets sick. Edward and I need to have a quick chat. Call me immediately if she feels the need to push."

Edward's eyes went wide as he took in the equipment in the room. "The need to… What the hell is going on?!"

Carlisle began pushing him out the door as Esme glared. "Edward Cullen! Keep your voice down," she hissed.

Jasper pulled back the lethargy even more and Bella's eyes flew open as she cried out again. "Oh gods, it hurts! It hurts!"

Esme placed a cool hand on her forehead. "Shh, sweetie, it's almost time to push. This part will be over soon. Shh."

Bella panted as she looked around wildly. "Why isn't the pain letting up? Oh god, I can't do this! I can't do this! Make it stop!" She reached out a hand. "Jasper! Please make it stop!" She was sobbing now and he sat back in the chair and took her hand, thanking god, probably for the first time, that he was a vampire, therefore she couldn't crush his hand.

"I'm trying to dull the pain sugar, but that's all I can do. I'm sorry baby doll. Carlisle says you need to be awake for this part."

She sobbed in despair for a few moments and then snarled in one of the most frightening tones any of them had ever heard, "Oh yeah? Where is he? We need to talk!" then promptly went back to sobbing.

Jasper looked at his wife and Esme whose expressions of disbelief matched his own, he was sure. Carlisle never said she'd resemble something straight out of The Exorcist for fucks sake! "Uh, Esme? Perhaps ya should go get Carlisle. Please?"

She nodded and zipped out of the room.

Bella looked at him with pleading eyes. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

He sighed. "Maybe darlin' but ya said ya didn't wanna feel goofy…"

She cut him off. "I don't care anymore! Just help me, please! It hurts so bad!"

Alice handed him a cool cloth and he adjusted the bed so she was sitting up a little more. "Okay sugar," he soothed as he bathed her sweaty face. "How's that? Any better?"

She nodded and clenched her eyes shut. "Yeah, it still hurts, but not as bad. Thank you."

He smoothed her hair back. "Just try to relax and think about somethin' else. Think about your weddin' day. Tell me about it sugar. How did Pete look that day?"

He and Alice watched as her breathing calmed and a tiny smile curved her lips. "God, he was so handsome… Well he always is, but that was the first time I'd seen him all dressed up." Her nose wrinkled. "Except for his hair. It was all slicked back and I like it loose, but other than that… god he was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. And when he'd look at me with those gorgeous hazel eyes… he always made me feel beautiful too."

She sighed and now she looked serene as Carlisle and Esme rushed in with a stupefied looking Edward trailing behind.

Carlisle grabbed some gloves and spoke as he stretched them on. "Bella, I need to check you my dear.

Her eyes snapped open and she squeezed Jasper's hand but gave a reluctant nod.

He moved the blankets aside and she turned her face as far into the pillow as she could as he checked her. He smiled. "You're complete. It's time to have a baby."

Her eyes went wide as he removed the end of the bed and set the leg supports in place. "Jasper, raise the head of the bed all the way," Carlisle directed as he pulled the instrument tray over.

Donning fresh gloves, he opened the sterile instruments and then helped situate Bella for pushing. He then draped her lap in a sterile sheet and took up his place at the end of the bed. "All right Bella, you're going to push with the next contraction. You push to a count of ten, take a deep breath and then push again until the contraction ends." His gaze caught Jasper's. "Can you help her with that son?" he asked as he tied on a mask.

Jasper nodded mutely as Carlisle's gaze cut to the monitor. "All right, here we go Bella, deep breath in, and push."

Jasper counted to ten, reminded her to take a breath and counted again. Carlisle looked up with a smile in his eyes as she relaxed back, breathing heavily. "You're doing well Bella. Keep that up and he'll be here in no time."

"Did ya hear that baby doll?" Jasper asked as he wiped her face with a cool cloth. "You're kickin' ass sugar."

Tears fell from her eyes and he had to stifle a cringe at the sorrow he felt from her. "Pete should be here," she murmured tiredly.

Jasper glanced at Alice and she winked causing him to freeze for a second. "Does that wink mean what I think it means darlin'?" he asked too low for Bella to hear.

She grinned and Carlisle's voice caught their attention again. "Time to push again Bella. Deep breath, and push! Jasper counted for her and she clenched her jaw and screamed when he reached ten.

"Once more sweetheart, deep breath and push!"

As he counted, Jasper watched his wife leave the room from the corner of his eye. He strained to hear anything from downstairs, but Bella's screams made it impossible.

Seconds later she came back in and she wasn't alone.

She moved away from the door…

… and Peter Whitlock stepped in.

**Your thoughts? Please review! 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I own nothing but the plot. No copyright infringement intended.**

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**~o0o~**

"Okay sweetheart, take some slow, deep breaths and relax until the next contraction. You're pushing very effectively and he's moving along," Carlisle encouraged as she collapsed back against the pillows.

Jasper brought his full attention back to her as he wiped the tears and sweat from her face. He had just said her name when Carlisle, who had a sharp eye on the monitor, spoke up again. "Okay Bella, deep breath and push!"

This time, his words had no effect. She shook her head as she sobbed, "I can't. I can't do this… I need Pete.. Where is he?"

"I'm right here sugar." He moved to her side and took her hand as Jasper stepped out of the way and Bella couldn't believe her eyes.

"You're really here," she choked out through her tears.

He leaned down and kissed her lips softly and she buried her hand in that sandy hair she loved so much as she sobbed in joy.

He backed away a bit and gave her a tiny smile. "We have a son to meet darlin'."

She nodded with a teary smile and focused on Carlisle as he spoke again. "You ready now Bella?"

Pete supported her shoulders as she sat forward. "Okay big breath and push!"

Carlisle counted and looked up with a smile. "He's crowning Bella. Well done! Rest for the next one. You'll be meeting him very soon."

She panted and squeezed Pete's hand. "It burns!"

Carlisle glanced up. "That's your skin stretching to accommodate the baby's head."

She whimpered and laid back as Pete kissed her quickly and smoothed her hair back.

Carlisle glanced around the room to take stock of how all the vampires were doing and noticed Alice had left. He also noticed Edward, standing in a far corner. His eyes were once again black. "Edward son, leave. I'll speak with you again when we're done here."

Edward stepped forward and Pete pinned him with a deadly glare, his every muscled coiled and ready to protect his wife and baby in an instant. "I don't know what you're doin' here boy, but ya look like you're about to lose it. Leave. Now."

Edward curled his lip at Pete. "I live here." He cut his gaze to Carlisle who shook his head.

"Edward Cullen, now is not the time. Use your common sense and leave. I'll discuss things with you later."

He clenched his fists and growled, but turned and left, slamming the door as he did so.

Carlisle breathed out and shook his head. He looked at Esme and Jasper. "How are you two?"

They both nodded and he was satisfied with that combined with their light gold eye color.

He saw another contraction starting and met Bella's pained eyes. "All right my dear, he should be here with this next one. Deep breath and push!"

He chuckled as he delivered the baby's head. "Stop pushing and pant Bella." He suctioned the mouth and nose, gently grasped the head and nodded. "Okay Bella, push gently." He tilted the head down and delivered the shoulders and then the rest of him. He held him in one hand as the baby began crying and clamped the cord. His eyes met with those of Pete's, assessing the vampire's state for just a moment before speaking. "Would you like to cut the cord?"

Pete looked at an exhausted but smiling Bella for a beat before moving toward his son. "Ye…" he choked on emotion and cleared his throat, "Yes, I would."

Carlisle handed him the surgical scissors. "Right between the clamps, that's it."

Pete handed the scissors back but couldn't take his eyes from his fussing son. "He's beautiful," he murmured. He looked at his exhausted wife and smiled, that dimple in his cheek finally making an appearance. He went back to her and kissed her as they both laughed quietly, with their heads together. "He's just beautiful Bella. Ya did good sugar."

He moved back a bit as Carlisle laid their son on his wife's chest. "Meet your son Bella." He draped a blanket over the baby as she held him to her.

"Oh god," she murmured to her little one. "Your daddy's right, you are beautiful."

She looked at her husband as fresh tears flowed. "He's perfect," she placed a kiss on damp, sandy-blond hair, "just like his daddy."

Carlisle looked up from suturing Bella, his eyes full of more joy than Bella could ever remember seeing in them before. "What are you going to name him?"

Bella locked her gaze with her husband's as she reached up and caressed his cheek, memories of their discussion right before he was taken running through her mind. "I want to name him Peter Holden Whitlock."

He leaned down and rested his head against her's as they both touched and held their son and for the first time in over a hundred years, he felt complete; the raw, throbbing ache in his chest gone completely, replaced with immeasurable joy. "I'm here baby doll, and we ain't never gonna be apart again… never again."

Though she was loathe to spoil the moment, Esme stepped forward. "Bella, I need to take the baby and bathe him while Carlisle finishes up with you." She looked at Pete and smiled. "Would you like to come with me while I bathe and diaper him?"

Bella smiled at him when he glanced at her uncertainly. "Go watch over him Pete. I'll be fine. I just need to get situated. Bring him back to me when he's ready and we'll talk."

She watched as he glanced up and his expression darkened as he stared at Jasper. "I ain't leavin' ya here alone sugar."

She took his hand and drew his attention back to her. "Baby, I'll be fine here. Jasper helped me through this whole thing until you got here. I understand your mistrust but…"

She trailed off when he scoffed. "I don't believe ya do sugar. There's just no way ya could. He took everything from me and now here he stands and you're askin' me to trust him?" He dropped her hand and looked away as his jaw twitched with tension. "Ain't no way in hell that'll happen Bella."

She reached out to him. "Please Pete, I was mad at him too, but he's changed…"

Pete's anger was rising with every word Bella spoke and Jasper felt every bit of it. He had to do something or things were going to get out of hand very soon. "Bella," he said, getting her attention. "It's all right. I know how he feels and why and I can't say I blame him." He moved toward the door. "I'll leave ya to your privacy."

When he was gone, Carlisle cleared his throat as he began putting things away and cleaning up. He finally spoke as he reassembled the bed. "Perhaps you could bathe the baby in here Esme? I'll examine him when you're through and we can leave them to rest." He looked to Pete who was still very tense. "Is that agreeable to you?"

Pete ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, that sounds like a better option to me."

Esme took the baby and Bella made her way to the bathroom after Carlisle had removed her IV. She cleaned up and changed into fresh pajamas and when she came out, her bed had fresh linens and blankets and Pete was sitting in the chair next to it with his freshly swaddled son in his arms.

She climbed into the bed and Carlisle laid it flat. "One more quick exam to make sure your uterus is contracting as it should, and then I'll examine the baby." He met her eyes with a smile. "After that, Es and I will leave your new little family to get acquainted. The baby will need to nurse soon too. Have you thought about that?"

She nodded and grimaced as he palpitated her lower abdomen, massaging a bit as he did. "Sorry Bella," he apologized. "I know it's uncomfortable, but we don't want you bleeding out." He finished and raised the head of the bed as he smiled at her. "You're doing very well. Now," he turned to take the baby from Pete, "let's see how this little one fares."

Within minutes, he handed the baby to Bella with a wide smile. "He's a very healthy eight pounds, 7 ounces and 20 inches long," he nodded his head at the baby who was busy rooting at his mother chest as he fussed. "He's also hungry, so we'll take our leave but I'll be in periodically to check on you."

Bella smiled. "Thank you," she murmured as Carlisle took Esme's hand and they left the room.

As soon as they stepped out, Edward was there, still looking livid. "I need answers Carlisle—real answers, not that crap story you rushed out earlier."

He sighed and stared at his first son as Esme squeezed his hand and murmured, "I'll be in our room dear—give you two time to talk."

He smiled softly and kissed her cheek. "Thank you my love. I'll join you shortly."

She nodded and turned to Edward, caressing his cheek as she spoke. "It's good to have you home sweetheart. I know this will be difficult for you, but keep an open mind and try to understand?"

His brow furrowed and he scoffed. "How could you ask that of me Esme, especially after that fantastical story I heard earlier?"

She glanced at her husband and he shook his head so she sighed and left them as Carlisle spoke. "Edward, you may have been changed at seventeen, but let's try to overcome that obstacle this evening, shall we? You've had years to mature beyond your human age. Try to remember that, if nothing else, and act accordingly."

He watched as his son's jaw clenched at the mild reproof before he answered. "Fine. Can we just get on with it?"

Carlisle heaved a sigh and gestured down the hall, his tone clipped as he began walking. "My office please."

Edward followed but both stopped short at the sounds of an argument coming from the living room. Carlisle glanced at him. "You may wait for me in my office. I'm going to see what that's all about and I'll join you after."

He headed down the stairs and Edward hesitated for a moment before deciding to join him. Perhaps he could glean some information from Jasper and the girl he was arguing with. Alice was always a good one to pay attention to also, especially when she got a vision he could catch before she blocked him.

He made it into the living room just behind Carlisle who threw him a glance and a thought, _'Remember to control your temper and actions, son. There's nothing to be gained by adding to the strife.'_

Edward looked away but gave the barest nod and Carlisle turned to the others who had now ceased their argument when he'd entered the room. "What, may I ask, is going on here?"

When no answers were forthcoming, he sighed and took a seat in a nearby chair as he spoke. "I'm certain we can sit and solve this like the adults we are, can we not?" He met all eyes in the room and gestured to the couch and chairs. "I insist."

Jasper and Alice took the couch while a scowling, petite blonde girl took the chair opposite Carlisle. Edward, unsure as to his welcome, remained standing until he heard Carlisle's thoughts. _'Son, you may as well sit. From the looks of things, this may take a while.'_

He walked over and took the remaining chair and Carlisle began speaking. "I believe introductions are in order. I am Carlisle Cullen, the leader of this coven." He met the blonde female's gaze. "You are?"

"I'm Charlotte," she said, her tone clipped, her manner defensive.

Carlisle held onto his scant patience as he responded. "A pleasure to meet you Charlotte." He gestured to Edward and continued. "This is my son Edward and forgive me if I'm in error, but I assume you know Jasper and Alice?"

She glared over at them a beat and looked back at him. "Yeah, I know 'em all right."

Sighing, Carlisle continued. "Good, now that's out of the way, we can progress to your reason for being here. Did you arrive with Peter Whitlock?"

She fidgeted. "Not exactly."

He raised a brow. "Would you elaborate please?"

She now looked like she'd been sucking a lemon. "Fine. I followed Pete. He told me not to, but I wasn't about to let 'im ditch me."

"I see," Carlisle said, now very intrigued at what her relationship was with Bella's husband, so he asked. "This may seem forward, but under the circumstances, I believe candor is necessary. What is your relationship with Peter Whitlock?"

She scowled at him. "It ain't just forward, it's downright nosey!"

Carlisle raised a brow in challenge, his priority protecting Bella rather than being polite. "You neglected the part where I stated it's necessary. Please answer the question so we know what we're dealing with."

If vampires could turn red with anger, Carlisle was pretty sure this girl would have rivaled a tomato, such was the anger radiating from her. "Fine! Ya wanna know? I'll tell Ya! I've lived with him since he rescued me from Maria's army when that asshole," she pointed at Jasper, "was gonna destroy me."

Carlisle rubbed his forehead, dreading the answer to the next question, even as he spoke the words. "And the nature of your relationship?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and smirked, her tone smug as she said, "Simple, I'm in love with him."


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Thanks for all the lovely reviews and support for this story. Y'all are the best! My internet has been down for a bit and I'm just hoping that the issues get resolved for good soon, but if I disappear for a bit, that's most likely what happened. ...The perils of living in the middle of BFE. LOL ~Spudz

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~o0o~

Chapter 20

All hell broke loose at Charlotte's smug declaration, but it didn't come from where Carlisle expected and he watched in astonishment as Alice flew from her seat, dead set on attacking the equally petite blonde. Thankfully, it seemed Jasper had anticipated this, as he grabbed his wife, literally, in mid air, and yanked her back against his chest as she raged. "You little hussy! If you think I'm gonna sit by and let you ruin my best friend's life and marriage, you've lost your fucking mind. I'll see you burn first!"

Jasper held her close and turned her in his arms as he spoke to her, sending her all the calm he could muster without knocking her out completely. "Hush now sugar. Pete loves Bella. Ain't nothin' gonna change that, no matter what Charlotte does or says."

She stopped struggling and rested her head against her husband's chest. "I know that in my head, but just the thought of any more shit going against Bella and Pete, especially after what we've all gone through…" She glanced up at Jasper, "…I've never wanted to harm another person before Jas, but god help me," she snarled, "I wanna shred her."

He rocked her side to side and kissed the top of her head. "I know sugar, I know, but ya gotta consider the source on this one darlin'. She was turned by Maria at sixteen and she's been glued to Pete's side since then. He loves her like a little sister, but nothin' more than that. It'll be up to him to set her straight. Nothin' we say will matter much to her."

She nodded and their attention was drawn back to Carlisle as he cleared his throat. "Jasper, if you and Alice could re-take your seats please? There's still much to discuss."

Jasper sat with a nod, pulling Alice into his lap as he did and Carlisle smiled in thanks. He then cut his gaze back to Charlotte, trying to maintain patience because of what he'd heard of her history just now. He could see how she'd developed the feelings she had for Peter, but that didn't change the fact that Peter was the husband of his newest daughter; his vulnerable human daughter who now was even more so due to the baby she'd just given birth to. No matter how much he sympathized with this young female, the fact remained, she was a significant threat to his loved ones; one he would not ignore. "Charlotte, has Peter ever returned your feelings or given you reason to believe he may someday?"

Her smug expression dropped and she looked away, her answer reluctant when she finally gave voice to it. "No, he hasn't," she looked back, her expression almost pleading, "but that don't mean nothin'! He's never sent me away and I know he'll realize he loves me some day. I just know it! Else why would he keep me around all these years?"

Carlisle sighed and she continued. "Look, I knew he was pining away for a lost love and I accepted that. Heck, he was real bad the first few years… but lately, he'd been gettin' better—happier—he wasn't angry and depressed all the time. He even started laughin' every now and then…" She met Carlisle's eyes. "I just figured he was finally gettin' over her and tryin' to move on."

Jasper spoke up and she glared at him, not liking what he was saying in the least. "Did ya ever stop to wonder if he was happier because he knew his wait was comin' to an end soon?"

Her fists clenched. "No! That wasn't it at all! It was me he was happy with! Now, where is he? I need to talk to him!" She shot to her feet and Carlisle was in front of her in an instant, one hand held out to stop her. "He's with his wife, Charlotte and I won't allow you up there. You are a guest in my home and you will abide by my wishes or leave."

She looked at him in shock. "His—his wife?" Her face darkened and she glared up at him. "You lie! I've known him for decades and he ain't never mentioned no wife!"

Alice smirked. "I guess you're not as close to him as you thought then are you?"

Charlotte hissed at her and Carlisle spoke, his tone sharp. "Alice, such comments are less than helpful. Please refrain." He gestured to the chair. "Charlotte, please be seated and we'll continue our discussion. You may speak to Peter when he comes down, and not before, understood?"

She flopped back into her chair with a huff and a scowl, looking for all the world like the sixteen year old she was changed as. "Yeah, fine I understand, but who are you to boss me? I ain't part o' your coven!"

He smirked, shocking all the members of his family. "You may not be, child, but you are in my home and I will maintain order here in whatever way I see fit. Would you like to try me young one? I can assure you, the consequences of such defiance will not be to your liking for I shall treat you as the child you seem to be."

Her eyes went wide and she glanced at a smirking Jasper before looking back at Carlisle. "No sir… I won't be goin' against you."

He inclined his head. "Good, as long as I have your word, we won't have a problem and you're welcomed to stay." He cocked a brow and she nodded.

"Ya have my word. I won't do anythin' and I'll wait until Pete comes down here to talk."

Carlisle stood. "Thank you Charlotte. I appreciate your cooperation." He turned toward Jasper. "Son, if you would speak to her about the feeding situation in this area, I would be grateful." At Jasper's nod, he walked to the door and spoke before leaving the room. "Edward, we can have that talk now. Follow me."

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~o0o~

Pete watched, mesmerized, as his wife nourished his son, his healthy, beautiful son from her body and he couldn't help but think it was the most beautiful sight he'd ever beheld in all his years.

It had taken the two of them a few minutes to get the hang of it, but his son had settled in finally and was now content at his mother's breast, and the longer Pete watched, the more choked he became by his emotions. He simply couldn't believe that, after all this time, he had his wife back; the only woman he'd ever loved.

Shame filled him as he thought about how he'd finally lost faith and let the anger and pain rule his actions. How he'd sought the company of women, not that any of them had provided solace…

Fear mixed with the shame and he wondered how he could tell her… Would she accept him after she knew his past—not only his history with other women, but also that of his violent vampire life until he'd finally escaped Maria's army? Hell, even after that, he'd had his moments… He could barely get past the memories—he sure as hell didn't know how she was going to.

He'd known, deep down, that Bella was alive, but he'd let the resentment of his circumstances rule him for years and consequently had ignored that knowledge, doing everything in his power to forget her. It had all been for naught, for there hadn't been a day that passed where she didn't haunt his heart and mind and for a time, that torture had made him particularly vicious.

He dropped his head into his hands and Bella noticed right away as she gently patted their son's back to burp him.

She was concerned. She'd seen his expression from the corner of her eye and the few glances she'd chanced as she'd fed Holden and she knew that Pete must be lost in thoughts and memories and from the look of him, none of them good.

When the baby burped, she called out to Esme who came in moments later as Pete straightened in his chair, trying his best to look nonchalant.

Esme approached with a smile. "Is there something you need sweetheart?"

Bella glanced at her husband and then back to Esme as she answered. "I was wondering if you could look after Holden while Pete and I have a talk. He's done nursing and should sleep for a while."

Esme's face fairly lit up. "I would love to look after him Bella." She walked around the other side of the bed and took the baby gently. "Is it all right if I take him down stairs? I'm sure the others would love to see him."

Pete's expression darkened, but Bella smiled. "I trust you Esme."

Esme smiled softly and looked at Pete. "I'll keep him safe Peter, I promise you. Carlisle and I would never let anything happen to him. We see Bella as our daughter and this tiny one as our grandson. I would see myself destroyed before letting harm come to him."

He nodded slowly. "I reckon that combined with my wife's trust is good enough for me then."

She inclined her head with a smile and said, "Thank you," as she turned and left.

Bella fixed her gown and turned to her husband. "All right Peter Whitlock, out with it. I can't stand to see you torturing yourself any longer so spill. And don't think to tip-toe around things either. I'm not so fragile that I can't handle what it is that you'll tell me," she dropped her head and wrung her hands nervously, "unless you're gonna tell me you no longer want me…" She met his gaze. "Is that it? You found someone else? Is it this Charlotte person that I've heard about?"

His eyes went wide. "What? No! No, it's nothing like that…"

She blew out a breath. "Good, then I can handle anything else." She looked at him and waited patiently.

He rubbed his forehead and searched for the words he needed, finally just diving in. "Bella, after I was taken and changed, my life literally went to hell. I was this vicious creature that lived on killin' people and survived by killin' any others of my kind who opposed me in any way." He met her sad eyes and continued, steadfastly ignoring the guilt that consumed him. "It was brutal, sugar…more brutal than you could ever imagine, but I couldn't being myself to give up. Your words, that you spoke to me that night in the alley… those words haunted me sugar and I just couldn't give up. You knew what I was and wanted me anyway;" his eyes narrowed at her, "that's another conversation we need to have, by the way—just how the hell you knew, not only that, but how you already knew that bastard of an uncle of mine and how you came to be back in my time in the first place." She nodded and he continued. "So, as I was sayin' I couldn't give up, but that didn't stop me from being more angry and hurt than I'd ever been before. That anger led me to do things," he looked away and shook his head, his voice low as he continued, "things I'm so ashamed of now that I'm sittin' here with you." He met her steady gaze again and she nodded, urging him on. "I've killed so many people Bella—a lot of them for simply bein' in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were innocent…but I was angry and out of control…" He sighed and she reached out and took his hand.

"Most every vampire goes through that Pete. It doesn't make me love you any less. The fact that it bothers you at all tells me that you're still a good man."

He scoffed and pulled his hand from hers. "There were also many women over the years Bella. I didn't love any of 'em, but that didn't stop me from using their bodies either."

Pain knifed through her chest as she stared into her lap and choked out, "Oh…" She covered her eyes with one hand and fought the urge to sob, finally taking a deep breath when she'd gained some control, though her voice still trembled when she spoke. "It's been a long time for you Pete. You probably gave me up for dead years ago, but even if you didn't… even if you knew I was alive and you'd eventually see me again, how could I expect you to have remained faithful all that time? It wouldn't have been fair for me to ask or expect such a thing." Her teary gaze met his. "The important thing is you're here now and we're together… If you still want me, that is."

He sat on the edge of the bed and took her into his arms as her tears finally fell, his fingers running through her silky hair as he held her close. "Of course I want you. You're the only one for me Bella and you always have been. It's me that should be worried darlin' 'cause I'm no where near good enough for ya." He drew back and cupped her cheeks as they looked into each other's eyes. "I love ya so much Bella… I never stopped darlin' and I can't imagine that ya still want me, but if ya do, then I'm yours 'till the end of time baby doll. I'll not touch another woman from now until my final death."

He dried her tears with gentle fingers. "So, do ya baby? Will ya still have me as your husband?"

Bella reached out and caressed his cheek, the words on the tip of her tongue as the door burst open and Jasper stood there. "Bella, the wolves just showed up... It's Charlie sweetheart…"

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

**~o0o~**

_Previously:_

_He dried her tears with gentle fingers. "So, do ya baby? Will ya still have me as your husband?"_

_Bella reached out and caressed his cheek, the words on the tip of her tongue as the door burst open and Jasper stood there. "Bella, the wolves just showed up. It's Charlie sweetheart…"  
_

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~o0o~

Chapter 21

Bella felt her heart lurch in her chest at the look on Jasper's face. It was a mixture of regret and sympathy, which had her instantly bracing for the worst. She placed her hand on her husband's arm to quiet his low growl and met Jasper's eyes, her gaze steadfast as she spoke. "Tell me."

"He was patrolling the outskirts of town when his cruiser left the road and hit a tree. He radioed for help and has been transported to the hospital."

She carefully handed Holden to Pete and sat up, running a hand through her hair before meeting Jasper's eyes again. "Tell me the rest Jasper. The man is a damn good driver. He wouldn't simply lose control and hit a tree. I also doubt the wolves would involve themselves in a simple car accident, so stop feeding me information with a teaspoon and spit it out."

Jasper, once again, was impressed with this little slip of a girl. Damn, she was tough, and she was right; it was time to stop underestimating her strength. "The wolves are involved because it was Victoria that caused the accident." A quiet gasp was her only reaction, and he continued. "They had been pursuing her when she decided to run Charlie off the damn road. One of them phased and stayed with Charlie while the rest of them kept after her, but they lost the bitch when she dove into the ocean. Jacob Black says it seemed like Charlie may have suffered a heart attack from this Bella, but Carlisle is the best sugar. If anyone can help him pull through this, it's him."

Pete looked between Jasper and his wife who had both hands over her face as she quietly tried to come to terms with this new information. "Just what the hell's goin' on here and who is this Victoria?" He glanced again between the two and growled lowly at the continued silence.

Finally, Bella dropped her hands into her lap and met his eyes, the fury in her gaze shocking as she answered him, her tone quiet and intense. "Victoria is the red-haired mate of the vampire that gave me this mark." She held up her wrist that displayed the crescent left there by James in what felt like lifetimes ago. "Edward sucked out the venom…" She ignored his snarl and continued, "…and Jasper and Emmett destroyed him for attacking me…"

Pete cut her off, nodding as he muttered, "…and now she wants you dead in retribution."

She watched in alarm as her husband's eyes darkened, his top lip pulling back to show one razor sharp fang as he snarled at Jasper, his tone venomous and accusing. "Why the hell didn't you deal with the bitch when you destroyed her mate Major?" He handed his son back to Bella and stalked toward his uncle, stopping only when they were nose to nose. "You—the all knowing and wise Major Jasper Whitlock—you, the expert on vampires…" He shoved a stoic Jasper back a couple of steps. "You knew she'd be a threat, so what gives?" He poked him in the chest, his tone mocking. "Huh, Major?"

Bella watched, wide-eyed and disbelieving, as her husband needled his uncle whose head was down and fists clenched at his sides as he fought his instincts and anger. "I don't run my own coven any more boy, and I was voted down when I suggested takin' care of her." He raised his head and met his nephew's hate-filled gaze. "My hands were tied at that point, but I did what I could to keep Bella safe until she left to go to you."

Pete's lip curled. "You don't do nothin' half way do ya Uncle? You were the biggest bad-ass on the planet and now you're the biggest pussy."

Bella gasped. "Peter Whitlock!" She kept her eyes locked with her husband's as she spoke. "Jasper, could you excuse us please, and take Holden with you for a bit?" She ignored Pete's disapproving growl and handed the sleeping infant to his great-uncle who cradled the baby gently and left the room after telling her that he'd let her know about Charlie as soon as he heard anything.

As soon as the door closed, she laid into Pete. "Look…" she sighed tiredly, her shoulders sagging as she continued, "…I know Jasper has a lot to make up for, but he's changed and you need to leave the past in the past and get over this hatred. I'll be the first to admit that he was a real bastard back then…"

Pete cut her off with a disgusted scoff. "You don't know the half of it sugar." His eyes bled to black in an instant at the memories. "It ain't somethin' I'll be talkin' about anytime soon either, so you'll just have'ta take my word for it." He pinned her with his gaze that was heated with the intensity of years worth of rage. "If ya can't do that, we'll just have'ta agree to disagree. I ain't about to forgive that fucker anytime soon. I don't give a shit how much he's supposedly changed. He could turn himself into mother-fuckin'-Teresa and it still wouldn't matter to me."

She looked away and the words she spoke next pierced his heart with pain and guilt. "And what if I had that same attitude toward you husband? What if I couldn't find it in my heart to forgive all the women in your past? We were each other's first's… you are my only."

Pete reached the bedside in two long strides where he hit his knees and circled her waist with both arms as he laid his head in her lap. "I'm sorry baby, so sorry. I know I don't deserve your love or forgiveness…"

She looked down at him and her heart broke all over again for what they'd all been through as she ran her fingers through his sandy-blond hair.

Jasper, she knew, had been a good man when that bitch Maria had turned him into a heartless killing machine, but he'd finally managed to escape, with Pete's help, and turn his life around. Pete had also been a good man—a man she'd loved—whom she still loved, with all her heart and soul… She had been an innocent school girl until her life was touched by the supernatural—and now, here they all were and she was determined to see them all through this and see them through it in a way they would all be better and stronger for in the end. She couldn't let the hate reign. She would battle it and win, but she had to get through to her stubborn and scornful husband first.

Now that she was over her initial pain and anger at Jasper, she could clearly see the wisdom of her grandmother's words in that last letter. They all had to forgive in order to move forward and heal, and she would see it done, even if she had to plant a proverbial foot in her stubborn husband's ass to do it. They had all been through too much to screw it up now with hate. One more hurdle to go—and yes, she saw Victoria as just a hurdle—and she would have her happily-ever-after, damn it. She'd kick anyone's ass who told her any different.

Her voice was quiet as she spoke to her husband, who still clung to her as if she might disappear any second. "Peter Whitlock, I still say you're a good man." He opened his eyes and gazed up at her as she smiled down at him softly. "Stubborn as a mule for sure, but still a good man. That's why I know that you're gonna do the right thing and forgive your uncle…" She held up a finger when his brow furrowed and he looked about to protest. "No sir—you've had your say husband and it's my turn now." He relaxed back, his expression almost petulant, but he remained quiet so she continued with a satisfied nod as her fingers ran through his hair once again. "Baby, do you want a happy life with me from here on out?"

He sat up and caressed her cheek. "More than anything sugar."

She nodded and grasped his hand as she looked into his eyes. "Do you really think that can happen without all of us letting go of the pain and hate?" He looked down and she tilted her head down to catch his gaze again. "Be honest."

He sat back and dropped his head into his hands with a frustrated growl. "Probably not…"

She chuckled. "Pete…"

He threw up his hands and looked at his smirking wife. "Okay! It'd be damn hard to do with as pissed off as I've been all these years, but you honestly expect me to just let all that go?!"

She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her chin and he knew he'd fucked up with that question. "How many Peter Whitlock?"

"How many what sugar?" he mumbled as he looked away.

"Women."

He dropped his head on the mattress and she didn't move as she gave him time to process. "Damn," he mumbled.

"What was that honey? I didn't quite catch it."

He straightened up and looked at her in resignation. "All right darlin', I get your point."

She leaned over and kissed him softly. "I love you Pete. I really just want to put all of the ugliness behind us and get on with living. We have a son to raise and a future to be getting on with and I'm not about to let anything stand in the way of that, so don't make me have'ta kick your ass."

She smiled as he chuckled and pulled her into a passionate kiss which he ended with a soft peck as he spoke. "Yes Ma'am. We'll get right to that as soon as I kill this bitch that's after ya."

He stood and fluffed her pillows. "Now Mrs. Whitlock, ya just sit back there and get some rest while I go take care of that little problem. You're gonna need your energy when it's time to go see your Pa and show off our son."

She looked at him with raised brows. "Now?" she spluttered.

He shrugged one shoulder. "Well, yeah. She already messed with your Pa and I ain't about to put up with any more of her shit, sugar. This ends tonight. Good ol' Uncle Jasper may be a member of a pacifist coven, but I have no such constraints baby doll." He reached down and gently nudged her mouth shut with a finger under her chin. "No body fucks with the Whitlock family."

She grabbed his hand. "But Pete, there are things that you need to know! I don't want you getting hurt! There are wolves on the reservation and you can't go on their land! You're a human drinker and they'll kill you for that!"

He looked dubious. "Ya mean, like they've managed to kill the bitch that's after ya?" He patted her hand. "Don't worry about me sugar, I'll be just fine."

She tugged his hand, her look pleading as she spoke. "The wolves are just kids Pete and most are my friends. Please don't hurt them."

He cocked a brow at her and nodded. "We're gonna sit down soon and discuss your choice of friends darlin' but until then, I promise not to hurt 'em, leastways not too much anyway." She eyed him and he sighed. "They'll live through it with no permanent damage, deal? It's the best I can do sugar, 'cause if Red runs onto their land, I'm not gonna just let her go 'cause of some invisible line. Somethin' tells me that's how she's been playin' with everyone here so far, by runnin' back and forth over this magic line and it's just plain idiocy to let her keep gettin' away with it."

She nodded, easily seeing his point, but no matter how logical it was, she still worried. "I can't lose you now Pete." She met his eyes. "Please keep yourself safe."

He smiled. "I will darlin'. I just got ya back. No way am I gonna let anything screw that up."

"Good. Now, before you go, will you do something for me? Please Pete?"

He hung his head in defeat because he knew what was coming and he also knew that he couldn't deny her. "What's that, sugar?"

"Take Jasper with you?"

He glanced up at her through his lashes and nodded. "All right sugar, if that'll ease your mind about this whole thing, then I'll drag the ass… er, good ol' Uncle Jasper along."

He looked like a petulant kid in that moment and Bella smirked. "Thank you honey. Now give me a kiss and go play nice with the others."

He shot her a dark look. "Mrs Whitlock, you're fortunate that you're recoverin' from givin' birth to my son, otherwise I'd be putting ya over my knee right now."

She smirked and cocked a brow at him. "Is that right husband?"

He leaned down, gave her a soft, sensual kiss and murmured against her plump lips, "That's right wife."

Sliding one hand into the silky hair at the nape of his neck, she kissed him deeply, drawing a groan from him as he felt his body respond. He drew away with a soft peck and she laughed softly as she answered his last statement, her voice husky with lust. "I look forward to it… after we employ some form of birth control."

He closed his eyes and reached down to adjust himself in his pants. "Damn woman, now you're just bein' mean."

She leaned back against the pillows with a smirk at his distress. "No more than you are for bringing it up."

A knock at the door brought an abrupt end to their banter as Carlisle stuck his head in and entered when Bella waved him in. "How are you feeling Bella?"

"Sore and tired, but I'm doing well. Worried about Charlie too. How is he Carlisle? You treated him, right?"

He took the chair by the bed and nodded. "Yes, I did. He had a mild heart attack from the shock of the accident, but he's doing well and resting comfortably now. You'll be able to see him tomorrow if you like."

She glanced at Pete who was frowning. "That'll depend on how successful I am in takin' out the red-head tonight. I don't wanna give her the opportunity to ambush ya enroute. It's much easier to keep you and little Holden safe here."

Bella sighed and nodded. She had to agree. Her life was one thing, but the life of their baby son… there was just no way she would risk him, not even to visit Charlie.

He leaned down and kissed her quickly. "On that note, I'll be leavin'. The sooner I get rid of the problem, the sooner we can get on with livin'."

"Be careful Pete, please? And remember to take…"

He sighed and nodded as he held up a hand. "I know, I know… take Jasper with me," he grumbled on his way to the door. "Ass still insists on callin' me boy though, so if he comes back lookin' worse for wear, that'll be why."

"Pete…," Bella raised a brow and he nodded as he opened the door.

"I'll be nice," he grumbled.

She smiled and blew him a kiss as she said, "Love you honey."

"Love you too sugar," he said with a genuine smile as he closed the door behind him.

She looked back at Carlisle who was watching her with a small smile in place. "It seems that you've both settled back into your marriage quite comfortably, even after all this time."

She smiled softly with a nod. "I hope it remains that way. I'm sure that we both have many things still to work out, but our love is strong, and it'll see us through, I'm sure of it."

He leaned forward and took her hand. "I'm happy for you Bella. I can see that you love each other very much and as you say, as long as you have that, everything else can be worked out." He cocked his head with a fond chuckle. "I hear a little one beginning to protest his empty stomach. Lie back so that I can make sure your uterus is staying firm and I'll send Esme up with the baby right after."

She sighed and shot him a dark look. "Ya just had to go and ruin the moment with your doctor duties, didn't ya?"

He laughed. "Afraid so my dear."

~o0o~

Jasper looked up as Pete walked into the living room, sharing a loaded glance with his wife as Charlotte jumped up and rushed him. He held her at arms length with a scowl on his face as she bombarded him. "Pete! I'm sorry! I know ya told me to stay home, but I just couldn't! I love ya, ya know I do! Please, let's leave and go home! I can make ya happy if you'd just give me the chance! Please…"

His voice was firm as he gave her a slight shake. "Char! Stop it! Ya need to get it through your head—there ain't never gonna be nothin' between us 'sides me treatin' ya like a little sister. That's all I've ever felt for ya, and that's all I'll ever feel for ya! Get—that—through—your—head!"

Her expression turned enraged as she slapped him and backed away. "All this time… all this time I've waited and hoped that you'd come around—and for what?! I've been loyal to ya Pete, through everything, because I've loved ya for so damn long and now your gonna throw me away for some little human tramp!"

She gasped as she found herself pinned to the wall with Pete's hand on her neck in the very next second, his eyes black with rage, his voice low and lethal as he spoke. "That's my wife your talkin' about. Now, I've always had a soft spot for ya Char, but I'll burn ya where ya stand if ya ever speak that way about her again, ya hear? If I catch even a hint that ya may be thinkin' about harming a hair on her head, I won't think twice about endin' ya, am I makin' myself clear?"

Her eyes wide with fright, she nodded as best she could as talking was impossible with the grip he had on her throat. He backed away and dropped her in a heap, turning immediately to Jasper. "I got a red-head to kill and I agreed to takin' ya with me." He turned without another word and made for the front door as Jasper gave Alice a quick kiss and followed.

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended.**

A/N: Drawing very close to the end of this story. I just wanted to thank you all for reading, reviewing, fav'ing and following. I hope you all have enjoyed the journey as much as I have. It's been a true pleasure. ~Spudz

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~o0o~

Chapter 22

Edward Cullen laid in the middle of his bedroom floor, staring at the ceiling as the sweet strains of classical music ebbed and flowed around him. Outwardly, he looked calm and serene. Inwardly, he was anything but, as his thoughts and emotions raged like an ocean beset with a mighty storm.

He simply couldn't believe how drastically his life—his very psyche—had changed over the course of a few months, and for one of his kind—the eternally unchanging—such things were monumentally difficult to accept. Accept it he must however, since the source of his turmoil could be summed up in one being; a being he loved but now knew to be beyond his reach…

Isabella Swan.

His eyes closed and his fists clenched with the pain of merely thinking her name and he wondered if he would ever get beyond this feeling—if he would ever recover and feel again as he had felt with her in those almost magical days of blossoming love.

Feeling the ghostly sensation of tears behind his lids, he longed for the relief real tears would bring—longed for that emotional cleansing and release that would never come because of what he is, and he cursed, yet again, this unwanted, lonely existence.

He had loved her. She had brought a joy and lightness to his dead heart that he'd despaired of ever feeling. He had loved her enough to sacrifice the only bright spot in his existence so that she would not be cursed with such a half life and now he was bereft and forced to watch as she set herself on a course to become that which he despised anyway: Vampire.

He choked on a phantom sob as despair, heavy and all-consuming, gripped him and he curled onto his side with a quiet moan at the thought that there was no relief in sight to this pain, no comfort or solace to be had; not for him—never for him, and he gave himself over to despair.

She was out of his reach. She belonged to another, and that would never change.

~o0o~

Charlotte sneaked back into the Cullen mansion, doing her best not to jostle her recently acquired box of liquid comfort as she made her way up the stairs, set as she was on finding a dark attic corner in which to seclude herself and drown her sorrows.

Put in simpler terms, she'd stolen an entire case of tequila from the local liquor store and was now hell-bent on getting as fucked up as she possibly could; more difficult for one of her kind than for a human, but as Pete had demonstrated many times through the years, not impossible with enough dedication.

When she reached the landing on the third floor however, the sounds coming from one of the rooms caught her attention and she froze as she listened, her heart clenching in sympathy at the sheer misery conveyed by the stifled moans and whimpers. This vampire sounded as miserable as she felt and she dropped her head as she contemplated just leaving him to it or whether she should join him.

Sighing, she shook her head slowly as she made her decision. _'Misery loves company,'_ or so she'd always heard. _'Time to test that theory Char,'_ she thought as she opened the door and slipped in quietly.

A lump rose in her throat as she stood for a moment, watching him slowly rock on his side, curled into a fetal position, looking for all the world like he was desperately trying to hold himself together.

The ache in her own chest grew until she felt compelled to ease him somehow, her current thought being that he was just too… beautiful to be suffering so. It felt all wrong to her, and she just wanted to wrap him up and make it all better and perhaps, in the process, he could do the same for her.

She felt her resolve strengthen and she moved toward him and took a seat on the floor a foot or so in front of him as she set her box of stolen goods off to the side.

She reached out slowly, carefully, and placed her hand on his cheek, her touch feather light as she didn't want to spook him. Even still, he froze at the contact, his muscles tensing as he quietly questioned, "What…," he swallowed thickly, "…what are you doing here?"

He'd heard her thoughts as she'd stood outside his door; her sorrow and sympathy, and he couldn't say that he didn't welcome her. Still, he needed to hear real words from her because it had always been his experience that a being's thoughts didn't always mesh with what they were actually willing to say aloud and so he waited for her answer as he took comfort from her gentle caress of his cheek.

"Your pain," she whispered, "I feel it too and I couldn't—I just couldn't leave ya alone in it."

He opened his eyes and stared into her's for a moment, seeing in them all the hurt and sorrow and loss of things that might have been and he knew, in that moment, that she understood probably better than anyone else, what he felt.

Sitting up slowly, he took her hand and gave her a sad smile, his voice quiet and shy as he introduced himself. "I'm Edward."

She covered his hands with her other and returned his sad smile with one of her own. "I'm Charlotte."

~o0o~

Carlisle Cullen sat at his desk in his home study, just taking a moment to rest his weary mind. He'd just returned home from checking in on Charlie Swan and was quite pleased with his condition. As best he could tell, the minor heart attack had been brought on, not by heart disease, but by the shock of his brief encounter with Victoria; an encounter that he didn't seem to recall probably due to the slight concussion he'd received when his car had struck the tree.

For that small reprieve, Carlisle was thankful. It meant that Chief Swan was still safe from the secret and could go on with his normal human life; or as normal as life ever could be here in Forks, WA. he thought to himself with a rueful smile.

The sound of his door opening brought him out of his thoughts and he smiled and held out a hand to his mate as she entered and closed the door behind her. They came together with a gentle kiss and he closed his eyes and savored the feel of her silky cheek against his for a moment before she drew back. "Hello my handsome husband."

He smiled brightly as he answered, "Hello my beautiful wife. How are you my dear?"

She perched herself on the edge of his desk and his brow pinched as she sighed. "Everyone seems to be doing well so far. Jasper accompanied Peter in looking for Victoria, as you know, and they're still not back, though Alice says not to worry. She's had nothing but visions of good outcomes from their ventures. Rosalie and Em are in seventh heaven at the moment. She's looking after the baby while Bella gets some much needed sleep, and Em is holding both of them in his lap and basking in the happiness." Carlisle laughed softly just picturing that scene in his mind and Esme continued with her impromptu report. "Young Charlotte went out for a walk some time ago and I haven't seen or heard her return yet, but again, Alice says not to worry, that all is well." She met her husband's eyes then and he wondered at the look of consternation on his wife's lovely face. She solved the slight mystery when she continued speaking. "It's the strangest thing Carlisle—when Alice spoke of Charlotte, she got the most mischievous smile on her face, as if she knows a secret the rest of us don't."

He cocked a brow and smirked. "This is hardly new behavior with our dear Alice."

She slapped at his shoulder playfully and rolled her eyes, a habit she'd picked up from the kids he was certain and he grinned at her. "Forgive me sweetheart, please, continue."

"Well, I just find it peculiar due to poor Charlotte's circumstances. I mean, Carlisle, the girl was just crushed emotionally, much the same way our poor Edward was. It was necessary and unfortunate and I pray they'll both get over it, but what in the world could possibly be smile inducing in that?"

A sudden crashing noise from upstairs had them both glancing at the ceiling before making their way out the door and up the stairs in search of the cause.

Stopping at Edward's door on the third floor, they paused and listened to the giggling and loud shushing noises coming from within.

Carlisle glanced at his perplexed looking wife, took a deep, bracing breath, and opened the door widely to the sight of two grinning, giggling and obviously very drunk teen vampires sprawled in the middle of the floor, each with a partial bottle of tequila in hand and several empty ones strewn about the room.

"Mom! Dad!" Edward enthused loudly. "Thish is Charlotte, my new friend! Isn't she boo…uh, boo…uh, isn't she lovely?"

Carlisle did his best to hide a smile, tucking his face against his silently shaking shoulder as his wife screeched, "Edward Anthony Cullen! Are you drunk?!"

Edward gave her a lopsided smile and a slight shrug as he answered, swaying a bit as he held up his index finger and thumb a fraction of an inch apart as he answered, "Maybe jusht a little?" His eyes squinted and crossed as he studied the fingers he held up before looking back at his mother with a proud grin.

Her mouth dropped open and she looked at her husband who cleared his throat and did his best to straighten his face. "Carlisle! What are we to do with them?!"

Just then, he noticed Edward doing his best to stand and he held up a hand. "You two stay seated on the floor until you both sober up. I don't feel like undertaking a renovation project in the near future. Understood?" They both nodded emphatically as he stepped forward and grabbed the box that only had two more bottles in it. He also took the partial bottles from them and placed them in the box. "We'll sit down and discuss this when you've sobered up. I'm sure you'll both benefit from a hunt later, although maybe I should make you deal with the aftermath of this for a bit before I allow you out."

They both looked contrite and he nodded. "Remember, stay seated and don't leave this room. I mean it you two."

They both murmured, "Yes sir," and he escorted his livid wife from the room and closed the door as snickers and peals of poorly stifled laughter drifted into the hallway from the inebriated teens.

~o0o~

Jasper watched from a high cliff as his nephew tracked the freshest trail they were able to find; one that hadn't been tainted by the wolves as that seemed to be the most promising.

It was obvious to both Whitlock's that the red-head was indeed toying with the shifters, but neither found any humor in the situation as they might have were the circumstances different. As it was, they were both all too aware of her ultimate goal and so their focus remained razor sharp. The female had to die and the sooner, the better, for all involved.

A quiet hiss and a sudden shot of concern had Jasper's immediate attention drawn back from surveying the outlying areas to his nephew as he whispered just loud enough for him to hear, "The bitch has friends with her now. At least two more; male. Keep an eye out."

He continued following the trail and Jasper followed at a safe distance, doing his best to remain undetected. They both figured that dealing with a lone vampire might make Red a bit braver and draw her out. Jasper figured that strategy would work especially well now that she had help. Vampires such as this female were never looking for a fair fight, after all. She had but one agenda; rage driven revenge, and while, in their experience, that made a vampire tenacious, it also tended to make them somewhat bold and careless. They were banking on it being so this time as well.

He watched as Pete traveled deeper into a tight copse of trees and he cursed lowly as his visibility was reduced drastically. He would have to get closer, there was just no other alternative.

Scenting the trees, he took to a tall one that was free of any other vampire traces and gave a mental sigh of relief when he could see into the copse clearly.

Now, the only real concern he had was the fact that the copse was located just over the treaty line, on Quileute land. The treaty was still in force even though Pete was on their land simply because he wasn't part of the Cullen Coven, but if he was forced to cross over to help his nephew, all bets were off and they could have a potential war with the shifters on their hands. He was fully prepared for that though because there was no way he'd leave Pete hanging. He would help his nephew and make damn sure he got back to his wife and baby son safely. Damn the consequences.

As he watched, Pete moved even further onto the reservation and Jasper cursed as he saw a flash of bright red in the tree above Pete a split second before the bitch dropped onto his nephew. They began fighting and Pete was doing a damn fine job of it when two more males joined the fray and Jasper knew then, he had to join in.

_'Here goes nothin,'_ he thought as he raced through the tree-tops and dropped silently onto one of the males whose head he removed in the next few seconds. He hopped down off the flailing, headless body and made short work of tearing it up as he kept Pete in his sights. The male he'd just destroyed had been an inexperienced newborn; easy to kill, but it was clear to him that the female had many years behind her and much more fighting prowess, making her a tougher opponent. Still, he watched with a certain amount of pride as Pete took her apart, piece by painful piece, with a malicious smile on his face.

Knowing that Pete was doing just fine, he spun and located the second overly-large male who was readying himself to charge in and save his she-devil maker.

Jasper crouched with a grin. "Not today son," he said lowly, startling the hyper-focused newborn with his presence. "Wouldn't be a fair fight if I let ya gang up on Pete, now would it?" He held out a hand and gestured toward himself. "Come on over here boy and let the Major school ya a bit, not that it'll benefit ya all that much seein' as how you'll be dead at the end of it."

His grin widened as the enraged newborn charged with a roar, rushing at him like the unskilled bull he was and Jasper flowed gracefully around him, deadly poetry in motion as he removed both arms from the hulk in a single pass with a foot planted in the middle of the brute's back. "Damn, I've sure missed this," he chuckled as he tossed the twitching limbs off to the side, once again addressing the insane newborn as he huffed where he lay on the ground. "Well come on son! Ya still got legs and teeth haven't ya? Let's see how interestin' ya can make this."

While the wide-eyed newborn took a second to evaluate his situation, Jasper glanced over just in time to watch Pete end the lunatic female by removing her madly-grinning head, looking fully unruffled as he tossed the gruesome flame-haired lump into the pile waiting to be burned. "Well come on Major," he grumbled. "Quit fuckin' around and finish this. The stench of piss and wet dog is gettin' stronger and I have a feelin' we're about to have some company right quick and they ain't bringin' refreshments."

"Well shit," Jasper complained, "it was just gettin' good too." Walking over to the still prone male, he removed his head with a quick twist and a jerk and tossed everything into the pile just as Pete lit the whole thing up.

As soon as the pile was fully engulfed in flames, they both heard the growls and yips of the wolves and Pete couldn't help but grin at Jasper. "To the trees Major, before they take a bite outta both our asses!"

Jasper let out a 'whoop' reminiscent of the infamous rebel yell of the Confederacy and they jumped into the branches just as the snarling wolves encircled the copse of trees they were in.

They both looked at each other as they perched for a moment in the highest boughs, wide grins eventually overtaking their faces from the thrill of the fight and victory. "Damn," Jasper said as he shook his head. "We still got it boy."

Pete nodded and punched his Uncle in his arm, nearly knocking him from the branch he was on. "Yeah, we sure as hell do Major," he scowled and pointed a finger at Jasper. "…but call me 'boy' one—more—time and I'll kick your ass up between your shoulder blades."

**Your thoughts? Did y'all like it? Lemme know!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

_Previously:_

_"Damn," Jasper said as he shook his head. "We still got it boy."_

_Pete nodded and punched his Uncle in his arm, nearly knocking him from the branch he was on. "Yeah, we sure as hell do Major," he scowled and pointed a finger at Jasper. "…but call me 'boy' one—more—time and I'll kick your ass up between your shoulder blades."_

* * *

_~o0o~_

Chapter 23

As they watched the wolves edge closer around the tree they were in, Pete nudged Jasper as he looked down. "Look Uncle Jay!" he said loudly. "Puppies! Can I have one, huh, oh please, can I?"

Jasper snorted a laugh. "Hell no boy, they stink and they'd probably pee on the rugs. Doubt the little Mrs. would like that."

The massive black wolf growled loudly and Pete snickered as he spoke to it. "Don't go gettin' your dander up Cujo, we was just pokin' fun."

Jasper leaned over the branch in front of him and peered down at the Alpha. "One a' y'all's gonna have to shift back to speak to us. We left the dog whisperer at home today."

Pete could have sworn the black wolf rolled his eyes before he blurred and shimmered back to his human form and looked up with his arms crossed over his chest. "You've broken the treaty Cullen. You know what this means?"

Pete leaned over with a brow cocked. "Yeah, it means we did your job for ya. See that smolderin' ash pile over yonder? That was three vamps that weren't here to make nice. We had to come onto your lands to do it though. Now, ya really gonna hold that against us?"

The Alpha bristled. "We would have taken care of them," he snapped.

"Really?" Jasper asked with an arched brow. "Just how long ya been chasin' the red-headed bitch?"

The Alpha tensed. "You caught the red-head?"

"Sure did," Pete said with a smug grin. "I killed her." He jabbed a thumb at Jasper. "He took care of the two easy ones, 'cause he's gettin' all soft and shit in his old age."

Jasper punched him in the arm. "I'll show you soft boy, just you wait till later."

Pete shoved Jasper. "First, I don't swing that way and second, you're my uncle for fucks sake!"

Jasper sneered. "You know damn good and well what I meant, sarcastic little bastard…"

"Ain't nothin' little about me!" Pete argued back.

"Hey!" the Alpha yelled. "Jesus, you two are worse than some of these pups! Now can we focus here?"

Pete and Jasper shot one last glare at each other and looked back at the Alpha.

Sam nodded now that he had their attention. "I've decided to let this incident slide, but this is the only time I'll make such a concession. And don't think I didn't notice the red eyes…"

Pete batted his lashes. "Oh, you like them? I've gotten several compliments…"

Sam growled and Pete held up his hands with a grin. "Sorry…sorry…but seriously, I only eat criminals…ya know, the kind that would rape and kill your girlfriend? That's what I take care of."

Sam shuddered visibly, but nodded. "Fine, but don't go thinking we're friends now or anything."

Pete grinned. "Nothin' doin' Fluffy. Banish the thought."

"Good," grumbled the Alpha. "Now get the hell outta here before I change my mind. We'll take care of clean up."

The two jumped down from the branches and took off running. Pete glanced over at Jasper. "Don't think I missed ya callin' me boy again after I told ya not to."

Jasper grinned wickely. "Any time you're ready junior…"

As soon as they were off Quileute land, Pete pounced.

~o0o~

Bella sat in the empty living room, gently rocking little Holden as he napped in her arms. She traced a fingertip over the apple of his little cheek and marveled at him. She just couldn't get over what a miracle he was and how grateful she was that he was here, in her arms and healthy.

The sound of quiet footsteps broke through her thoughts and she looked up to see Alice walk in and smile at her. "He's such a beautiful baby Bella," she whispered and Bella smiled brightly.

"Thanks Ali." She kissed his sandy hued wispy curls and murmured, "I would have to agree with you."

Alice laughed softly as she took a nearby seat. "Of course you would! Every mother would, no matter what, but in this instance, it's the truth!"

Bella simply smiled as she stared at her son for a moment. Finally, she looked over to Alice and quirked a brow. "Where is everyone Ali? It's been really quiet here for a while now. Are…are Pete and Jasper safe?"

She watched as her friend's eyes went a bit glassy for a moment before a scowl took over her features and she focused back on Bella. "Well, the two stubborn asses we're married to are just fine and should be walking through the door in ten or twenty minutes. Depends on when they decide they've had enough." Her expression cleared and she continued after giggling quietly. "Carlisle and Esme took a recovering Edward and Charlotte for a hunt after lecturing them on the perils of too much tequila and Rose and Em are enjoying some alone time upstairs."

Bella's brows had inched up as Alice spoke. Had she just heard her correctly? "Thank god the guys are okay but did I hear 'Edward' in the same sentence as the phrase 'too much tequila', Ali? This I have to hear."

Alice smirked and there was a wicked twinkle in her eyes as she answered. "Well, it seems that Charlotte decided some liquid comfort was in order, so she stole an entire case of tequila from the local liquor store and brought it back here. She was on her way to the attic when she heard Edward in his room. She went in to talk to him and things progressed from there. Long story short, they got along famously and in the process, got pretty hammered. Carlisle and Esme found them that way, took away the rest of the booze and took them for a hunt after they'd sobered up." She grinned at a dumbfounded looking Bella and leaned forward as she continued. "The best part of the whole thing?"

"What?" Bella mumbled, still in shock over this development.

"They're mates!" Alice chirped brightly as she sat back with a grin.

She watched as a grin bloomed on Bella's face. "Oh, thank god!" she breathed. Then it dropped and she glanced at Alice sharply. "Wait, are you sure? 'Cause you thought…"

Alice held up a hand with a nod. "I know, I know… I had thought at first that you were his mate, but it was the whole 'singer' connection that was messing with my perception. I mistook his draw to you as that of a mate." Her face pinched. "I'm sorry for that Bella…"

"No Ali, I can totally understand the mistake. He was really drawn to me and I encouraged it with my damned curiosity. I know your visions aren't perfect and you can only interpret what you see, and after seeing him alone all these years, and then the visions of the two of us… Anyone would have seen things the same way you did, I'm sure."

Holden began to fuss and she laid him over her shoulder and patted his back. She looked back at her friend as she bit her lip. "Are you certain this time though Ali? I would hate to see him hurt yet again…"

Alice smiled softly, not offended at all at being questioned. "Well, earlier today I had a vision of them marking each other, so yeah, that's pretty solid as far as proof goes. I'm not going to be telling them though. I've had enough of that. From now on, I've decided to stay out of such things. I'll only get involved if lives are at stake."

Bella cocked a brow. "Really? No more playing the stock market?"

"Pfft," Alice said with a wave of a hand. "Hell yes I'm still gonna do that! How am I supposed to support my shopping addiction?" She scowled and her lip poked out a bit. "Jasper won't let me touch our main accounts for that." Her face brightened and she looked back at Bella. "Which reminds me—between the investments Pete's made over the years and the stocks your grandmother had you buy during your little trip, you guys won't ever have to worry about money. You're loooooaded my dear."

Bella's eyes went wide. "Wow, I haven't even thought about that. No shi..uh, no kidding?"

"No kidding," Alice confirmed with a smile. "So…when we going shopping?"

Bella groaned and discreetly flipped a laughing Alice off.

The entrance of Carlisle, Esme, Edward and Charlotte cut off their conversation and they focused on the group that had just joined them.

"Hi guys!" Alice greeted as they took seats and Esme smiled.

"Hello dear."

Alice grinned over at a contrite looking Edward and Char. "How was your first hunt together?"

Bella stifled a grin as the two held hands and smiled shyly at each other. "It was wonderful," Edward murmured as he stared at Charlotte.

"Awesome!" Alice chirped.

"That's great to hear you two," Bella said as she watched them and Charlotte smiled at her.

"Thank you Bella," she said as she snuggled into Edward's hold. He leaned over and kissed her head as he smiled.

"Uh, Bella?" Alice muttered with a slight frown. "You may want to give the baby to Esme for a little while."

Bella studied her friend for a moment before glancing at Esme. "Do you mind taking him for a bit?"

Esme was already halfway to her when she answered. "Of course not dear. I would hold that baby all day if you'd let me!" she grinned as she eased him out of Bella's hold. She turned to Alice. "Should I take him upstairs Alice?"

Alice met Bella's eyes with a smirk as she answered Esme. "That's probably a good idea."

Bella tipped her head back and prayed for patience. She had a feeling…

Just after Esme left the room, they all heard the front door open.

"Just look at yourself! Clearly, I won." Bella heard a very familiar voice grumble.

Another familiar voice answered. "I call bullshit 'cause you ain't lookin' none too pretty yourself boy."

"Yeah?" Pete snapped as he and Jasper entered the living room. "You ready to go again ya asshat? Quit callin' me boy!"

Alice cringed and Bella gasped as she took in the two. "Oh my…jesus you two! Just look at the both of you!" She shot from her chair and pinned them both with a steely glare. "Tell me this was from killing Victoria or fighting with the wolves."

The two Whitlocks eyed each other before turning their full attention to Bella. It was Jasper who began speaking first.

"Well, we took out Victoria and two newborns she had with her but we had to go over the treaty line to do it." He shrugged.

"Oh, thank god she's gone," Bella breathed as she sagged in relief. When she'd calmed from that news, she looked back at them. "The wolves?" she asked.

"We didn't fight 'em," Pete mumbled. "After talkin' to the big black one, we worked it all out and we didn't have to." He glanced at an attentive Carlisle. "Your treaty's still intact."

Carlisle inclined his head. "Thank you for that Peter. I'm happy to hear it. More importantly, I'm happy to hear Victoria is gone and you both are safe."

Bella crossed her arms over her chest as she studied the two filthy and disheveled males in front of her. They both looked like they'd been dragged through hell and back. It was so bad that the clothing they'd been wearing barely covered the important parts although, with the mud and debris that covered the two, it was tough to tell.

"So," she drawled with an arched brow, "Care to share just how you both wound up in your current state? Because I get the distinct feeling the fight with the nomads wasn't that intense for either of you."

"Hell no it wasn't," Jasper said with a proud grin.

"Nope," Pete agreed. "We kicked their a…uh, we beat 'em, no problem sugar."

She cocked a brow and gestured to them with a hand and Pete sighed. "He called me boy again after I warned him not to. I couldn't just let that slide baby doll," he finished in a plaintive tone.

"Well, compared to me, ya are a boy…" Jasper grumbled.

"There!" He pointed an accusing finger at Jasper. "Ya see how he is sugar?!" He glared at his uncle. "I'm older than you in human years ya teeny-bopper asshole. Don't forget."

Jasper shoved him, sprinkling the floor with dirt and debris where they stood. "Call me asshole again and I'll remind ya where yours is when I plant my foot in it boy."

Edward leaned over, murmuring to a smirking Char. "I really wish we could eat popcorn because that would make this perfect."

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Edward," he said with a shake of his head and Edward nodded with a smirk.

Bella shook her head with a sigh. "Stop it you two."

They quit glaring at each other and looked back at her. "When are you both going to get over this and realize that no matter what, you're family? Pete, I know it's been very hard for you over these many years, but we can't live in the past."

He cocked a brow and smirked at that and she rolled her eyes. "You know what I'm saying so don't be a smart-ass. What I _mean_ is, we're all different now. We've been changed by all that's happened, but we've come out of it and we all still have each other. It's time to get over it and move on…be happy…and we can't exactly do that if we're carrying grudges."

Pete and Jasper glanced at each other and then back at her as they nodded.

"Great," she said as she marched by. "Stay right there, both of you. I'll be right back."

When she was gone, Edward snickered at them and they both flipped him off at the same time. "Shut it candy-ass," Pete grumbled and Jasper chuckled. "I like that. It fits," he said with a glance over at Pete while Char tried to sooth a scowling Edward.

Carlisle sighed as he rubbed his eyes and wondered if he'd manage to survive the changing dynamics of his family just as Bella walked back in, handing each Whitlock a clean towel.

"Now," she said with all the authority of a drill instructor, "You two head outside, strip, and hose yourselves off. Then you can come in and take a real shower. After that," she held up a finger as she met their eyes, "You come back and clean up the mess you tracked from the door all the way in here and I don't want to hear a peep out of either of you."

They both smirked and she narrowed her eyes. "That doesn't mean you can argue out of my range of hearing either. I still have everyone else that I'm sure are more than willing to rat you two toddlers out, so get busy. We'll sit down and speak about everything like the adults we are when you're finished."

They glanced at each other as they shuffled out and she heard Jasper comment as they went. "Damn, and here I though my Ali was bad."

Bella watched them go and rubbed her chest as sudden pain flared through it. She tried to take a deep breath to ease the sudden nausea that gripped her but had to steady herself with a hand on the back of the sofa.

"Bella?" Carlisle questioned as he shot from his seat in alarm. He caught her just as she collapsed and sped up the stairs with her in his arms as he called back to Edward. "Son, get in here. I may need your help."

"What is it Carlisle?" Edward asked as he rushed after him.

"Pulmonary Embolism," he answered as he sped into the birthing room.

"Alice, get Peter, but keep him out of the way for now," he instructed. He met her panicked gaze as he laid an unconscious Bella on the bed. "Just know," he said gravely, "I may need him too."

**Your thoughts? 'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

_Previously: "Bella?" Carlisle questioned as he shot from his seat in alarm. He caught her just as she collapsed and sped up the stairs with her in his arms as he called back to Edward. "Son, get in here. I may need your help."_

_"What is it Carlisle?" Edward asked as he rushed after him._

_"Pulmonary Embolism," he answered as he sped into the birthing room._

_"Alice, get Peter, but keep him out of the way for now," he instructed. He met her panicked gaze as he laid an unconscious Bella on the bed. "Just know," he said gravely, "I may need him too."_

* * *

~o0o~

**Chapter 24**

Peter paced in the hallway just outside Bella's door as Jasper leaned against the wall and concentrated on radiating calm. It wasn't helping…at all.

"Pete."

"What?" he growled on yet another pass by.

Jasper sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Never mind 'cause I know tellin' ya to calm down ain't gonna work."

Pete clenched his fists and punched a hole in the wall. "Damn right it won't." He glared at the closed door and the hushed, urgent voices he could hear within. "It's been damn near twenty minutes since Alice came and got me. What the fuck's going on? What's takin' so long?"

When Alice had knocked on the bathroom door and told him there was a problem, he'd thrown on some clothes and rushed into Bella's room only to be told to wait in the hall by Edward of all people. Carlisle had been working frantically over Bella, the sight and scent of her blood throwing Pete into immediate shock as the door closed in his face.

Jasper shook his head, his expression solemn. "I'm not sure. I know it's serious, but Carlisle's the best Pete. If anyone can save her, it's him."

Pete pinned him with an icy gaze. "And if he can't?"

Jasper returned that gaze with a steady one of his own. "Then he'll call ya in to do what needs to be done. He _knows_ how far he can take it. He _won't_ let her die."

~o0o~

Inside the room, Carlisle was working feverishly to save Bella—to save her humanity. He knew what was at stake. He knew if he didn't bring her back from this, her reunited family—her relationship with her _child_—would be an impossibility, possibly for years to come depending on how quickly she adapted and gained control as a newborn vampire. By then, much of little Holden's childhood would be over and just the thought of that squeezed his heart painfully. After all this young family had been through—to make it this far just to have it all fall apart now…

The sound of Edward's voice brought him sharply back to focus. "Carlisle, you can't think about any of that right now. Stay sharp. She needs you." Carlisle's gaze met the steady, determined one of his first childe who continued, shocking him with his words. "Make a decision. Make the _right_ decision, even if it's difficult."

Carlisle gave one quick nod and reassessed his patient. It wasn't good he already knew and his jaw clenched. He'd done all he could medically. He hated this, but there was no other option. "Bring in Peter," he said gravely. "I've done all I can. It must be done now."

Edward spun on his heel and blurred to the door. "Peter, you're needed," was all he said and he just barely got out of the way as Pete rushed in, his eyes locked on his wife.

Carlisle pinned Pete with a sorrowful gaze. "I'm sorry Peter, but you must change her now, unless you want me to do it. Time is critical, so make a decision quickly."

Pete nodded and rushed forward. "I'll do it." He leaned down, his voice thick with phantom tears as he moved some hair back from her neck. "I'm sorry darlin'," he whispered, his voice choked and strained with sorrow and fear. "We never talked about this Bella—never got the chance—but I can't lose ya darlin'. I just got ya back…and I promised." With that, he leaned in and sank his fangs into her neck where he pumped as much venom as he could into her while Carlisle kept her heart pumping. When he drew back, Carlisle's voice urged him on.

"Again Peter, other side. Get as much into her as you can."

Again, he bit her without hesitation and this time when he drew back, Carlisle did too to see if her heart would take over. It didn't.

"Damn," he muttered and went back to compressions.

Pete stood back and watched with naked fear in his eyes. "What's wrong?" His fists clenched and nostrils flared. "Don't you tell me she's gone doc," he ground out. "Don't you dare…"

To everyone's shock, a gentle wind began to circulate in the room while Bella began to glow softly and they heard a woman's voice fill the room. "Don't be afraid Peter Whitlock, beloved of my beloved grand daughter. She will come back to you. She will call you and you will find her. Take comfort. She is strong and even at this moment she fights to stay with you. She will succeed."

Carlisle backed away once again and this time the sweet sound of Bella's heart beating on its own met their ears. He smiled, closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer of thanks.

Pete hit his knees at Bella's bedside where he rested his head next to her body while clutching her hand. Kneeling there, he quietly sobbed in grief for all that had happened and sobbed in relief for what the gentle voice had just told him and this is where he stayed for the next three days.

~o0o~

Bella was confused when she came to. Where was she? She couldn't see or really feel anything and it was scary. She began to panic now that she was conscious, if that is indeed what she was.

She couldn't really be sure because this place… It was nothing but an impenetrable, black, senseless void. She couldn't see, hear, speak or feel…it was utterly terrifying, especially since her mind seemed to be working just fine.

_'Calm yourself Bella,'_ she told herself. _'If the mind is all I have to work with, then it won't help to have a melt-down. Now think…think of a way through this!'_ She calmed and centered herself as well as she could, drawing upon those times she'd had to do so to cast a spell or ritual. _'You've got this Bella,'_ she thought as she literally talked herself down. _'Calm and center—focus, find your focus.'_

When she'd done that and felt as calm as possible, she began to focus on changing things; _'What is it you want first?'_ she thought. _'To escape this void.'_ Yeah, that had been an easy question to answer, so she focused her mind on her favorite place—a place that held her sweetest, most beloved memories, and she felt love and happiness fill her as the void morphed into a sunshine dappled bed of grass under a tree…the tree by the pond…the tree where she'd told Pete he would be a father…the tree under which they'd made love…

She gazed around and realized she could now feel. She had form and senses and she smiled. Still, she was alone and she felt that too, keenly. _'Baby steps Bella. You'll find him. Just stay focused.'_

With those thoughts, she sat herself down in the soft grass, back straight and palms up, resting on her knees. Taking a slow, deep breath, she closed her eyes and sank into herself as she called to her mate.

_'Peter,'_ she sent with all the focus she could muster. _'Find me my love. Find me…'_

She had no sense of a passage of time, but soon, she felt a hand holding hers and her heart leapt but she fought back the excitement and refocused. She knew it was his hand, but that wasn't good enough. She wanted to see him, feel all of him, speak to him and so she tried again… _'Peter,'_ she sent once again. _'Find me baby,'_ she begged earnestly. _'Reach out, I'm here. Find me…'_

Then she heard it—heard him, his voice—very faint, but _there_ and she smiled and opened her eyes to the sight of him walking toward her from a far distance.

"Bella?!" he called as he picked up his pace with a shocked and hopeful look on his face. She stood and held out a hand to him. "Yeah Pete, it's me," she answered with a wide smile as she waited on him to reach her.

"Bella!" he shouted and began running. When he reached her he scooped her into his arms and spun her around as he buried his face in her neck. "Oh darlin'," he cried as he held her tightly. "Are you really here? Am I dreamin'? I heard you callin' me and I've been searching for two days and nights. I can't believe I found ya."

She drew back and dried his tears as she stared into those familiar hazel eyes. "It's real enough for now baby," she said through tears and laughter. "We're connected in my mind, but we're real and I'm not going anywhere until it's time to be back with you and Holden. I promise. I _won't_ let anything take me away."

He hugged her tightly once again and just took in her sweet scent and warmth. "God Isabella Whitlock, I love you more than anything sugar. I always have and I always will."

She drew back and smiled into his eyes as their clothes disappeared. "I know this Pete. Our love is timeless and limitless and always will be," she murmured as she guided him down onto a soft quilt. "Kiss me husband. Join with me once again and for all of time."

He covered her then and she opened to him eagerly, their bodies fitting together in perfect union as lips and tongues stroked and nipped and played together.

She wrapped herself around him as he mastered her with firm even thrusts, drawing quiet gasps and gentle sighs of pleasure from her honeyed lips; lips he tasted, teased and groaned into as he took pleasure from her even as he gave it back two-fold.

Their bodies molded and writhed together sensually in the oldest dance of them all until she arched and cried out, her fingers gripping and digging into strong muscle as she reached her peak and he reached his as a white glow surrounded them; their souls now joined for all of time, never to be parted again.

**Your thoughts? Please review!**

**'Till next time, ~Spudz**


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.

A/N: This is it for this fic. Just an epilogue left. Thank you to everyone who took this journey with me. It's been fun and it won silver! Not too shabby! Hugs to all who leave some love in a review! ~Spudz

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**Chapter 25**

The room was quiet, the mood somber as Carlisle and Esme sat watching the young couple they couldn't help but love in the short time they'd known them.

Esme watched on with a wan smile for the strong, young vampire who refused to leave his mate's side for even a moment. He hadn't moved as much as a muscle in the three days since he'd knelt and took her hand.

Carlisle's thoughts were a bit more somber as he couldn't escape the feeling of failure when he looked at the ever changing form of Bella. He thought, after all these years of practicing medicine, he would have come to terms with seemingly healthy patients sometimes taking drastic turns for the worst. He knew this to be true. He also knew that sometimes, there was simply nothing medicine could do and yet, here he sat, second guessing himself.

"Carlisle, honey, stop this. We all heard the voice. Perhaps…perhaps this was always meant to happen this way. I know you believe in a higher power my love. Release this guilt you're carrying and let fate be. All will work out and they'll be happy and together again when she wakes."

He sighed with a nod. "I know you're right Es, but I can't help but worry. What about the baby? He's entirely human and now his mother will be a newborn vampire." He shook his head. "She won't be able to be around him for years Es."

Esme squeezed her husband's hand. "Then we'll be there for them. We'll help raise little Holden if that's what's needed. At least then, he'll be able to have both parents around him even if Bella has to keep her distance for a while." He looked at her skeptically and she nodded. "Yes, I know it will take a lot of effort on our parts to keep them all safe, but it will be worth it all in the end, don't you think?"

"Yes, it will, if that's what they decide they want, I'm certainly willing."

A sudden change in Bella's heart rhythm got Carlisle's immediate attention and he murmured, "It won't be long now."

"I can't wait to see her," Esme said with a smile as she looked over at the couple. "You know," she mused. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that Peter slept through her entire change."

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?" Carlisle agreed. "He certainly hasn't been what I would consider lucid." He looked over to his wife with a wan smile just as she gasped, her gaze still locked on Bella.

"Carlisle! What's happening?"

He looked back at the bed just in time to see the couple engulfed in a white glow that was growing steadily brighter as he watched. "I have no idea," he murmured, his voice tinged with awe as the glow intensified with the speed to Bella's racing heart.

A pained gasp from Peter had Carlisle jumping up from his chair to stand over the obviously distressed vampire whose body suddenly straightened from his slumped over position as his back arched.

"Es, help me lay him out on the bed!"

Carlisle grabbed the glowing vampire under his arms while Esme grabbed his legs and they laid him next to his wife just as he groaned in what sounded like pain as his back arched up off the bed. Carlisle pinned his shoulders but gasped as the sound of another heartbeat started up in addition to Bella's which was now slowing to a more normal rate.

Esme's wide eyes met her husband's. "Bella's heart is slowing? Is that normal? And Peter?" She stared at her husband and was shocked at the look of absolute perplexity she saw there.

"I have no idea Es," was all he said as he finally let go of Pete as his body relaxed. They both stood back, Carlisle wrapping Esme in his arms as they watched the glow slowly fade from the couple on the bed.

When it had faded out completely, Bella's eyes slowly opened and she turned on her side to look at her husband. "Pete," she whispered as she caressed his cheek. "It's time to wake up."

Esme gasped at the sight of the newborn vampire whose heart still beat in a steady rhythm. "Bella! You're eyes!"

Bella looked up and frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Carlisle laughed incredulously. "I wouldn't say anything is wrong Bella," he answered, more awed now than ever. "Just very different."

It was then that Peter began to stir and opened his eyes. "Bella?" he said as he turned his head to look at her. "I feel so…different."

"So do I," she answered with a laugh.

He reached up and cupped her cheek. "Your eyes…" he commented. "They're still brown," he said, sounding worried.

She laughed. "You should see your own…" She moved her hand to his chest. "And your heart Pete…it's beating."

His eyes widened and his heart picked up speed. "What?!"

Carlisle stepped forward and put a hand on Pete's shoulder. "Don't panic," he said while looking into Pete's hazel eyes. "Just let me give you both a quick exam and we'll try to figure this out, all right?"

Pete relaxed back onto the pillow with a nod. "Yeah, okay doc."

He began his exam on Pete first and the door opened just as he was finishing up. Jasper stepped in just as Pete was shrugging back into his shirt.

"Carlisle, why do I hear two hearts beating in here?" he asked while eyeing Bella and Pete. "As a matter of fact, why do I hear any hearts beating at all in here? And what the hell? Their eyes…?"

Bella smiled as Carlisle turned to him with a sigh. "This is what I'm trying to figure out now Jasper. During Bella's change, something…happened and Peter's heart began to beat again. Bella's never stopped. She also retained her human eye color and Peter's reverted back to what he had as a human."

Jasper looked startled. "So they're human?"

Carlisle shook his head. "Not entirely, no. Peter still has fangs and I suspect Bella does now too. I've yet to test their bloodlust, strength or speed."

Bella looked at Jasper. "Holden?" she asked. "How is he?" She looked to Carlisle. "Can I see him now?"

Jasper frowned and Carlisle shook his head sadly. "Bella, while you've been abnormally calm since waking, we can't take the chance with you seeing the baby yet. I need to test your response to blood first, then perhaps we can discuss letting you see him."

She looked down into her lap and nodded. "I understand," she murmured and Pete pulled her close. "I'll go see him in a bit and give him a kiss for you."

Carlisle shook his head as he moved to Bella's side of the bed to complete her exam. "I hate to say this but there have been enough significant changes in you Peter, that we'll have to treat you as a newborn until we know differently. I'm sorry."

Bella took Pete's hand and gave it a squeeze while looking to Carlisle. "We understand and thank you for keeping him safe."

Carlisle smiled. "I'm glad of that, and there's no need to thank us. Esme and I consider you family. Holden is our grandson just as much as he is Charlie's."

She gasped. "Charlie! Oh god, how is he?"

"He's doing very well Bella," he said with a chuckle. "He's already home although I haven't released him to go back to work yet."

"Good," she grumbled. "He needs the rest." She hissed as Carlisle pierced her vein for a blood sample.

"Sorry," he soothed as he changed out the vial.

She scowled. "Didn't think I'd have to put up with this kind of stuff after changing," she grumbled and Carlisle chuckled.

"Yes, well, had your change been a _normal_ one, you wouldn't have," he finished with a smirk.

"Yeah, thanks pops. I can see you're very sympathetic."

He merely glanced at her, his smirk still firmly in place as he loosened the band on her arm and collected one last vial.

"Did you leave me any?" she asked with a scowl and he chuckled as he put everything away.

"I can clearly see that you are Charlie's daughter," he said dryly as Pete snickered.

She scowled at her husband. "You're not helping," she grumped as she stood from the bed. "I'm gonna go take a shower." She looked at Carlisle. "That is if you're done poking and prodding…?"

He smiled widely. "Yes Bella, I'm done. Everything seems to have healed during the change and I give you a clean bill of health."

"Good," she grumbled as she grabbed a clean set of clothes. "I'd like to feel human again…" she froze for a second and grinned as she looked at Pete, Carlisle and Esme. "You know what I mean!"

She left the room and Carlisle took Esme's hand and turned to Peter. "We'll leave you now. Feel free to come down when you're both ready and we'll see how you do with bloodlust."

He nodded and watched them leave before slipping quietly into the steamy bathroom with a smirk.

~o0o~

Bella stepped into the steamy shower and moaned as the hot water sluiced over her body. "Oh god, this feels amazing," she breathed while tilting her head back into the spray. A second later, she smirked and cracked an eye open when she heard the door open and close. "Come to join me?" she questioned and her smile grew at the sound of a dark chuckle as arms wound around her waist from behind.

"Like I could pass up such an opportunity?" he said while placing open-mouthed kisses on her neck.

She hissed in pleasure. "All I can say to that is thank god for vampire healing," she answered with a smirk as she turned in his arms.

"Amen to that sugar," he agreed as his hands glided down her back to cup her ass.

"Pete," she moaned as her lips trailed across his jawline. "I've missed you so much…"

He groaned. "It's been so long baby doll…too damn long…" he muttered as he covered her mouth with his own, his tongue plunging into her eager mouth as he lifted her to pin her against the shower wall.

She wrapped her legs around him and ground herself against his hardened cock as they sucked and nipped at each others lips.

He broke the kiss to trail his mouth down her jaw and neck before lifting her higher as his lips closed over one rosy, hardened peak. She hissed as he sucked it in deeply, her fingers sinking into his silky hair as she held him close. "Pete…inside me," she babbled. "Need you inside me."

He turned loose of her nipple and looked at her with concern. "Is it okay? I mean, are you all…ya know…"

She chuckled and kissed him. "I'm fine, Carlisle said I was fine…vampire healing…remember?"

"Right," he muttered as his mouth slanted over hers in a hungry kiss.

"Damn, I can't get enough of ya sugar," he muttered while trailing open mouthed kisses over her neck as he slid two fingers into her tight, wet heat.

She threw her head back. "Then take all of me…I need you, need to feel you filling me," she breathed and moaned as he lined up and slid every hard, hot inch of his cock into her slick passage.

She gripped his shoulders and looked down in time to watch as he drew his hips back, pulling his cock out almost to the tip before snapping his hips forward to plunge back in. He grinned as she cried out, "Fuck, yes!"

"Such a dirty mouth wife," he said as he picked up the pace. "Remind me to spank ya later…"

"Mmm," she moaned with a wicked smirk as she met his gaze. "You promise?"

He grinned. "I do."

**Well, that's it! LOL Questions? Pose them in a review and I'll be sure to answer in the epilogue. Love to you all! ~Spudz**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any original characters therein. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: This is it folks. This story is complete! I'd like to thank you all for making this journey with me. Lots of love to you! As always, reviews are much appreciated. ~Spudz**

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**Epilogue - 5 years later**

Laughter floated through the humid Texas air as Bella sat in the shade of the porch, sipping a cold glass of lemonade. She grinned as she watched her husband tumble around in the grass with their five year old son, tickling him mercilessly as he giggled and squealed.

"Mama! Save me!" he yelled as he hopped up and ran from his growling father.

She laughed and caught him in a hug as he launched himself into her arms. "Is daddy being scary again baby?" she asked as she ruffled his sandy-blond hair.

He rolled his eyes. "No Mama, we're just playin', that's all."

"Well, good," she said as she set him on his feet. "Then you don't need me to save you, do you?"

"No Ma'am, I'm a man now. I reckon I can save myself." he said with his chest puffed out.

She stifled a smile and glanced at her grinning husband as he sat watching, his arms draped over his bent knees.

"A man now, are you?" she asked with an arched brow and he nodded.

"That's what Daddy said."

"Well," she said while smoothing his sandy bangs away from his eyes, "Then it must be so, but I hate to lose my baby boy." She gave him a sad look and he frowned and climbed into her lap where he looped his thin arms around her neck.

"Don't be sad Mama." he whispered. "I can still be your baby boy—sometimes—if ya want." He looked up into her face. "Like, you can still read me stories and tuck me in at night. I'm okay with that."

She laughed and hugged him close while kissing under his jaw, drawing a giggle from him. "Thank you baby," she said as she placed him back on his feet. He took off back to Pete and tackled him again as she watched on, smiling.

He—and his daddy—were the light of her life. She couldn't imagine a day without either of them.

Taking a sip of her drink, she leaned back and thought about all they'd gone through to get here, on their sprawling ranch in Texas hill country.

They'd realized, very quickly after waking from her change, that both of them were far from being normal vampires. Their hearts beat, they could eat and drink, but they also needed to ingest blood, although not as often as most vampires, and as long as they did, there was little to no bloodlust, which allowed them to raise their son.

Another blessing they'd discovered over time was that they didn't age or sparkle in the sunlight. Basically, they could look and act like regular humans, which had baffled everyone in the Cullen coven.

One last letter had arrived from her grandmother, very shortly after she'd awoken. It had explained what the woman had done—what spells she'd cast—to change Bella and Peter. She'd also shared that knowledge with Bella so she could add it to the Grimoire.

Bella had taken it another step further though and had performed the spells on the rest of the Cullens who now enjoyed a more normal existence. The real shocker was the restoration of all of the females fertility, which they'd discovered after Esme became ill.

Carlisle being Carlisle had immediately performed tests and to the great shock and eventual joy of them all, she'd been pregnant.

Little Calista Cullen would be four very soon and her 'cousin'—the son of Emmett and Rosalie—little Emrys, would be four a mere six weeks after that.

The real shocker to all of them was the announcement of the newest little Whitlock that was due in another four months. Yes, Jasper, who swore he wasn't father material, had finally overcome the guilt of his past and his many misgivings and Alice was now expecting a little boy. They'd already named him too—little Reese Thomas Whitlock. Bella couldn't wait.

She smiled to herself, just thinking about all of them. She missed them terribly, but they visited often enough that it made up for it. There had even been talks of them building individual homes here on the ranch and she was ecstatic at the prospect.

Even the last hold-outs on the child-bearing front—Edward and Charlotte—were talking of settling here. They'd finally married last year and had been traveling on an extended honeymoon since.

She was shaken from her thoughts when Pete sat down and pulled her into his arms. "Hi baby doll," he said before kissing her brow.

She kissed his jaw. "Hi yourself, handsome. All done playing with Holden?"

He arched a brow and looked down at her before shaking his head. "For the time bein'. He's down for a nap, finally. Boy has more energy than he knows what to do with. Be glad when his cousins get here." He glanced at her. "When did Jasper and them say they'd be here?"

"Jasper and _them_," she chided his grammar, "said they'd be here around six, just in time for dinner."

He nodded. "Good. Holden'll be happier than a pig in sh…oomph! Damn woman, what'd ya do that for?" he asked with a pout while rubbing the ribs she'd elbowed.

"I've warned you before about that mouth of yours, mister," she grumbled.

He leaned down with a wicked grin and nipped her neck. "And here I thought ya loved my mouth. 'Least that's what ya was moanin' last night if I recall."

Her lips quirked into a smile. "You know what I mean, you wicked man."

He sucked at her pulse point and she tilted her head and closed her eyes. "Hmm…you are talented with that mouth of yours, Mr. Whitlock," she breathed and he gave her a low, dirty chuckle as his hand strayed to her breast.

"Care for a refresher, Mrs. Whitlock? We got time…"

She tilted her head to look at him and smiled. "Take me to bed, husband."

He grinned. "My pleasure, wife."

~Fin

***sniffle* This is it. Hope y'all liked it.**

**Let me know via review, yeah?**

**~Spudz**


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